Viacheslav Fofanov

Viacheslav Fofanov is an Associate Professor and Director at the Pathogen & Microbiome Institute (PMI) within the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems at Northern Arizona University. His interdisciplinary work bridges computational biology, genomics, and infectious disease research.

• Affiliation: Northern Arizona University
• School: School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems
• Institute: Pathogen & Microbiome Institute (PMI)
• Role: Director and Associate Professor

Dr. Fofanov's research focuses on bioinformatics, genome analysis, and next-generation sequencing technologies. His work spans microbial genomics, protein function prediction, and environmental DNA applications such as dietary metabarcoding in wildlife. He develops computational tools for high-resolution pathogen detection and transmission tracking.

The recent publications indicate a strong trend in applying genomic sequencing to public health and ecological challenges. His team uses targeted amplicon screening and multiplex assays to achieve strain-level resolution of pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Other studies explore zoonotic transmission dynamics and historical impacts of megafauna extinction on disease spread. These works reflect a blend of computational innovation and biological insight.

Dr. Fofanov leads the FofanovLab, which has released bioinformatics software such as mtsv_tools for sequence analysis. His datasets are publicly archived on Zenodo and DRYAD, supporting open science. Collaborations span institutions and disciplines, including ecology, epidemiology, and computational biology.

He has contributed to significant research outputs, including tools and datasets that have been referenced in media and academic platforms. While no formal awards are listed, his work has been cited in Scopus and picked up by numerous news outlets and social media platforms, indicating broad scientific and public impact.