Naowarat Cheeptham

Naowarat Cheeptham is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Thompson Rivers University (TRU), Canada. Her research focuses on cave microbiology, drug discovery, and microbial adaptation in extreme environments, with particular emphasis on addressing white-nose syndrome in bats and antibiotic resistance. She leads the Cheeptham Lab, which combines fieldwork in caves with laboratory-based studies to explore microbial biodiversity and biotechnological applications.

Research Interests
Her work bridges microbiology and ecology, investigating how cave-dwelling microorganisms survive in hypogenic environments and produce bioactive compounds. Key areas include:

• Screening for antimicrobial agents and novel natural products
• Microbial biomineralization processes in speleothem formation
• Development of probiotics to combat white-nose syndrome in bat populations
• Microbiology education innovation, including inquiry-based learning and teacher training

Recent Achievements
Dr. Cheeptham has received notable awards including the 2024 Established Career Faculty of Science Award (TRU) and the 2023 Chiang Mai University Outstanding Alumni Award. Her lab's recent studies highlight the microbiome diversity of bat wings and the antimicrobial potential of cave bacteria.

Educational Contributions
She emphasizes transformative teaching methods, such as using news analysis to engage students in microbiology. Her 2022 3M National Teaching Fellowship recognizes her pedagogical innovations in bridging face-to-face and online learning during the pandemic.

Lab & Collaborations
Her research group collaborates internationally, focusing on both basic and applied microbiology. Current projects include:

• Ecological studies of subterranean microbial communities
• Development of conservation strategies for cave ecosystems
• Investigations into microbial adaptations in volcanic caves