Michael Kuchka

Michael Kuchka serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehigh University, actively contributing to the national Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) program. In Fall 2022, he co-instructed BioS 318 (Phage Discovery) with Vassie Ware, guiding 13 undergraduate students through bacteriophage research using Mycobacterium smegmatis as host organisms across 10 weekly hours.

His research profile centers on experimental microbiology and genomic analysis of bacteriophages, with strong emphasis on bacterial genetics and hands-on phage discovery methodologies. This work directly supports undergraduate training in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics through the SEA-PHAGES initiative's nationwide network.

Dr. Kuchka's academic contributions focus on integrating authentic research experiences into undergraduate curricula, particularly through the Phage Discovery and Genomics tracks. His teaching approach involves intensive laboratory work where students isolate novel phages, perform genomic sequencing, and contribute to public databases like PhagesDB, fostering critical skills in microbial genomics.