معرفی
Dr. Marisa Pedulla serves as Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences within Montana Technological University's College of Letters, Sciences & Professional Studies. Since joining Montana Tech in 2005 as Assistant Professor (promoted to Associate in 2008 and full Professor in 2013), she has pioneered statewide phage discovery initiatives impacting over 13,000 students while maintaining active research in mycobacteriophage genomics and interdisciplinary biotechnology applications.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Biology, University of Pittsburgh (1998)
- Japanese Studies, University of Pittsburgh (1991)
- B.S. Chemistry with Bioscience Option, University of Pittsburgh (1990)
Research Focus: Dr. Pedulla's laboratory centers on mycobacteriophage discovery and genomic characterization, extending into nanotechnology-enhanced phage therapy, rare earth elements in environmental health, and biomaterials development. Her innovative approach bridges fundamental virology with educational outreach, creating scalable models for integrating authentic research into K-16 curricula through phage-based discovery programs.
Publication Trends: Recent publications (2013-2022) demonstrate consistent leadership in mycobacteriophage genomics, with 15+ annotated viral genomes deposited in public databases. Her work shows increasing interdisciplinary convergence between phage biology, nanotechnology (particularly iron-doped apatite nanoparticles), and environmental health applications, often co-authored with students and educators to maximize educational impact.
Scientific Awards:
- Montana Tech Distinguished Researcher Award (2023)
- Montana Tech Faculty Merit Award (2023)
- College Community Engagement Award (2022)
- AAAS Fellow (2019)
Advising & Funding: Dr. Pedulla has mentored over 13,000 students through Montana's phage discovery program, generating 130+ novel phages with student co-authorship. Her $3M+ grant portfolio includes two NIH SEPA awards ($2.55M total) for educational outreach and a $1M NSF MRI grant for advanced microscopy infrastructure, demonstrating exceptional success in securing competitive funding for interdisciplinary research-education integration.
Laboratory Infrastructure: Leading Montana Tech's phage discovery initiative, Dr. Pedulla utilizes the newly acquired Hitachi HT7800 Electron Microscope (funded by NSF MRI grant) for high-resolution phage imaging. She maintains active collaborations with the Pittsburgh Bacteriophage Institute and CFWEP.org, operating within Montana Tech's research ecosystem that includes the Center for Advanced Materials Processing and High Performance Computing Cluster.
