Michael A. Olson

Michael A. Olson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Snow College's College of Natural Science and Mathematics. He teaches foundational biology courses including Biology I, its laboratory component, and General Biology, while maintaining an active research focus on host-pathogen interactions and bacterial virulence.

• Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Snow College
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biology with Chemistry minor, Utah State University (2014)
• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Brigham Young University

Dr. Olson's research investigates how Escherichia coli strains causing bovine mastitis evolve virulence mechanisms. His work combines genomic analyses and functional studies to identify bacterial fitness factors critical for infection in dairy cattle. Current interests focus on pan-genome characterization and environmental adaptation of mastitis-associated pathogens.

His publications reveal trends in Escherichia coli virulence research, with emphasis on zinc acquisition, capsule formation, and host tissue specificity. Recent studies explore genomic determinants of disease severity through comparative approaches.