216 Schaefer Hall
240-89J-BYRD (5-2973) office
240-895-4996 fax
jjbyrd@smcm.edu

Education:
B.S., Cook College, Rutgers University
M.S., Penn State University
Ph.D., University of Maryland

A liberal education is at the heart of a civil society, and at the heart of a liberal education is the act of teaching.

A. Bartlett Giamatti

 

Jeffrey J. Byrd

Microbiologist ~ Professor and Chair of Biology

Joined St. Mary's College of Maryland: 1990

I have been interested in bacteria from the very first time I saw them under the microscope. This, combined with my interest in showing others these wonderful living organisms, led me to into teaching at a liberal arts institution. This love for teaching stretches into my non-classroom activities as well in that I am currently the editor in chief of the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, formerly Microbiology Education (published by the American Society for Microbiology), a member of the Committee on Undergraduate Education for ASM, a commissioner on the Middle States Commission for Higher Education and a member of the Faculty for the 21st Century of Project Kaleidoscope. In addition to my love for microbiology and teaching, I have a love for sports. Therefore, I am currently the NCAA Faculty Representative for SMCM.

Courses taught include:

  • Microbiology
  • Virology
  • Genetics
  • Contemporary Bioscience - Biology of Infectious Disease
  • St. Mary's Projects

My research interests include:

  • Starvation survival of bacteria in the environment. This work is currently centered around the genes regulated by the rpoS system.
  • Natural products from soft corals. This work is currently centered around an antimicrobial agent from Xenia elongata.
  • Antimicrobial agents from the process of autoclaving glucose in the presence of phosphates.
  • Mechanism of Tetracycline resistance.
  • Bacterial pathogens isolated from soft corals.

Books Published

For further information see my Byrd's Nest homepage.