Jenifer Walke, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Eastern Washington University. Dr. Walke is a microbial and disease ecologist, studying the roles of beneficial and disease-causing microorganisms on their hosts, including honey bees, amphibians, and birds. She earned her B.S. degree from James Madison University, Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, and was a post-doctoral researcher at Virginia Tech in the Entomology and Biological Sciences departments. At EWU, Dr. Walke teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in general biology, microbiology, ecology and evolution, and research methods. Dr. Walke is the Principal Investigator on a National Science Foundation research project investigating the complex interactions between honey bee hosts, their gut microbiomes, and pathogens. In addition to teaching and research, Dr. Walke enjoys engaging in service-learning and community outreach, including K-12, and playing outdoors with her husband, two daughters, and dog. To read more about Dr. Walke’s work, please visit www.walkelab.com.
“The Life We Cannot See: The Role of Microbes in Health and Disease”
Nearly all plants and animals, including humans, are host to complex communities of invisible microbes, known as the microbiome, that live in and on them. Some of these microbes can cause disease, but many of these microbes are beneficial and perform critical roles for their host, including nutrient acquisition, development, immune system priming, and defense against infection by pathogens and parasites. These microbes produce and send chemical messages that interact with other microbes and their host, and vice versa, the host’s signaling molecules can influence the structure and function of the microbiome. In this talk, I will discuss my research on amphibian and honey bee microbiomes and disease, as well as my life journey while pursuing this research.
