Katie Mika

Katie Mika serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Science at the University of Tulsa, actively contributing to the national Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Her research focuses on Microbiology, Phage Genomics, and Bioinformatics, with specialization in bacteriophage discovery and evolutionary analysis. Through the SEA-PHAGES initiative, she integrates authentic research experiences into undergraduate curricula, emphasizing both laboratory-based phage isolation (in situ) and computational genomic analysis (in silico).

For Spring 2025, Dr. Mika co-instructs two sections of BIOL 1711 (Phage Discovery) with 12–16 students each using Arthrobacter globiformis as host. In Fall 2025, she leads four sections of BIOL 2121 (Phage Genomics Laboratory) totaling 93 students across all undergraduate levels, with weekly 2-hour computational sessions focused on genomic annotation and evolutionary analysis.

As a core SEA-PHAGES faculty member, she participates in national workshops and symposia including the 2025 Phage Discovery Workshop and 2026 SEA Symposium. Her educational contributions advance undergraduate research training in microbial genomics, with direct contact available at katie-mika@utulsa.edu or 918-631-2530.