Kayleigh O'Keeffe

Kayleigh O'Keeffe serves as a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University, where she joined in 2022. Her academic appointments include teaching core courses such as BIOS 044 (Integrative and Comparative Biology), BIOS 296 (Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases), and BIOS 325 (Microbiology Lab), reflecting her dual expertise in research and evidence-based pedagogy.

Education

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• B.A. in Biology, Amherst College

Dr. O'Keeffe's research program integrates ecology and evolutionary biology to investigate within-host microbial interactions and their consequences for infectious disease dynamics. She examines how microbiome composition influences parasite growth, transmission, and evolutionary potential across host populations, with particular focus on vector-borne diseases like Lyme disease. Her work employs field mesocosms, phylogeographic analysis, and dual RNA-seq techniques to unravel complex host-microbe-parasite relationships. She actively promotes science communication through student-led projects that translate ecological concepts for public audiences.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent output in high-impact journals including PLOS ONE, Parasites & Vectors, and Frontiers in Microbiology, spanning microbial ecology, evolutionary genetics, and methodological innovation in non-model systems. Key thematic trends include microbiome-mediated disease modulation, vector population dynamics, and host community responses to pathogens.

No scientific awards were documented in the provided materials.

Dr. O'Keeffe mentors undergraduate researchers in both laboratory and field settings, emphasizing experimental design and scientific communication skills. Her educational initiatives include student-created science communication projects focused on infectious disease ecology. While specific grant details weren't provided, her research program appears supported through departmental resources and collaborative frameworks within Lehigh's biological sciences infrastructure.

She operates within Lehigh University's Department of Biological Sciences research ecosystem, leveraging campus facilities including microscopy suites, cell culture labs, and flow cytometry resources. Her work intersects with broader university initiatives in molecular biology and infectious disease research, particularly through student training programs like SEA-Phages.