Birds, bats & pathogens (and stuff in between)
Jeff Foster, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pathogen and Microbiome Institute
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Associate Professor
Pathogen and Microbiome Institute
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
- We work on microbes, birds, bats, and other organisms.
- We use genetic and genomic approaches, except when we don't.
- We'd rather be working in the field but lab work has its perks too.
Lab News (hopelessly out of date)
We received funding from USFWS in Fall 2022 to study the invasion and establishment of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in the Southwest.
Damian Johns received his MS in Fall 2022 and is staying in our lab as a Research Assistant studying White-Nose Syndrome in the Southwest.
Molly Bechtel successfully defended her PhD in Fall 2022 and is now a postdoc with Dr. Joe Mihaljevic in SICCS studying amphibian viruses.
The lab received a grant from DOD’s ESTCP to use metabarcoding to assess the diets and habitat quality of endangered birds on military installations.
Morgan Hughes received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in Fall 2022 for her work on bat ecology in dry forests of Peru.
Two projects from the US Department of Defense-Defense Threats Reduction Agency were funded for brucellosis work in Iraq as well as Georgia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Kelsey Whitaker received her MS in Summer 2022 for her work on avian malaria on Kauai with KFBRP.
Molly Bechtel received a Training Grant from the Pacific Southwest Regional Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases in June 2020
Kelly Jaenecke was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in April 2020. Additional press Arizona Daily Sun
Spraying bats with ‘good’ bacteria may combat deadly white nose syndrome. By Kathleen O'Neil, July 15, 2019. Science News.
NAU scientist collaborates on major genetic study of white-nose syndrome in bats. NAU News. By Kerry Bennett. October 31, 2019.
EarthNotes: White-Nose Fungus. NPR interview, KNAU. by Diane Hope. April 25, 2018
In Hawaii, bird’s genetic trail leads from island to island. By Dana Kobilinsky. The Wildlife Society. January 25, 2018
NAU researchers use genomics to determine origins of deadly white-nose syndrome. NAU News. January 11, 2018
Battling White-Nose Syndrome in Bats. American Society for Microbiology, ASM Communications, Washington, DC. December 12, 2017
We received funding from USFWS in Fall 2022 to study the invasion and establishment of Pseudogymnoascus destructans in the Southwest.
Damian Johns received his MS in Fall 2022 and is staying in our lab as a Research Assistant studying White-Nose Syndrome in the Southwest.
Molly Bechtel successfully defended her PhD in Fall 2022 and is now a postdoc with Dr. Joe Mihaljevic in SICCS studying amphibian viruses.
The lab received a grant from DOD’s ESTCP to use metabarcoding to assess the diets and habitat quality of endangered birds on military installations.
Morgan Hughes received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in Fall 2022 for her work on bat ecology in dry forests of Peru.
Two projects from the US Department of Defense-Defense Threats Reduction Agency were funded for brucellosis work in Iraq as well as Georgia, Turkey, and Azerbaijan.
Kelsey Whitaker received her MS in Summer 2022 for her work on avian malaria on Kauai with KFBRP.
Molly Bechtel received a Training Grant from the Pacific Southwest Regional Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases in June 2020
Kelly Jaenecke was awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in April 2020. Additional press Arizona Daily Sun
Spraying bats with ‘good’ bacteria may combat deadly white nose syndrome. By Kathleen O'Neil, July 15, 2019. Science News.
NAU scientist collaborates on major genetic study of white-nose syndrome in bats. NAU News. By Kerry Bennett. October 31, 2019.
EarthNotes: White-Nose Fungus. NPR interview, KNAU. by Diane Hope. April 25, 2018
In Hawaii, bird’s genetic trail leads from island to island. By Dana Kobilinsky. The Wildlife Society. January 25, 2018
NAU researchers use genomics to determine origins of deadly white-nose syndrome. NAU News. January 11, 2018
Battling White-Nose Syndrome in Bats. American Society for Microbiology, ASM Communications, Washington, DC. December 12, 2017