Michelle Duennes

Dr. Michelle Duennes is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Saint Vincent College, PA. Her research focuses on bumble bee ecology, genetics, and conservation, particularly investigating factors affecting pollinator health, pesticide impacts, and population dynamics. She leads the Duennes Lab, mentoring undergraduate students in capstone research projects involving pollinators, environmental pollutants, and ecological interactions.

Education: Ph.D. in Biology (prior institutions include University of Illinois and University of California, Riverside). Current sabbatical: Fall 2024.

Research Interests: Bumble bee nutrition, parasite dynamics, climate adaptation, and conservation strategies. Her work bridges lab-based genetic analysis with field studies, emphasizing practical applications for pollinator protection and sustainable agriculture.

Lab Activities: The lab has conducted studies on pesticide effects, pollinator-pathogen interactions, and the development of clean stock certification programs for commercial bumble bees. Alumni projects include investigations into heavy metal pollution impacts, tick pathogen surveys, and genomic analyses of bumble bee microbiomes.

Grants & Collaborations: Collaborations include the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign and fieldwork with Mexican institutions like ECOSUR. Her research has contributed to policy frameworks for pollinator conservation.

Lab Team: Mentored over 25 undergraduate researchers since 2012, including projects on plant-based medicines for pollinators, decomposition ecology, and aquatic insect diversity assessments.