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Department of Microbiology
Microbiology News & Updates

UW Microbiology

Microbiology welcomes new Assistant Professor, Dr. Tristan Jordan

Tristan Jordan, PhD

The Department of Microbiology welcomes new Assistant Professor, Dr. Tristan Jordan, who joined the department in January, 2023.

Dr. Jordan indicates “Several things about the UW and UW Micro drove me to join. First and foremost, was the science. I loved the rigor and diversity of the science that was on-going in the Department of Microbiology and the UW as a whole. The collaborative atmosphere of the Department and biomedical science in Seattle, in general, was also a significant draw. It felt like a breath of fresh air to see and hear about all the collaborations that exists. It speaks not only to the collegial nature of science in the area, but the investment in each other’s success and interest in other’s science that is core for cutting-edge discoveries.”

In elaborating on research interests and goals, Dr. Jordan states “I love thinking about the many ways in which viruses and their hosts interact with and counteract each other. Currently, I think about this in terms of antiviral host responses: a) how they are regulated by the host; how viruses evade them; and how both the host and virus influence each other’s evolution through this constant conflict. I’m also intensely curious about exploring the antiviral systems of amoebas and other protists. Every organism must contend with viral infection. How do these single-cell eukaryotes do this? What new mechanisms of viral defense exist? Can these be leveraged into novel biotechnologies and therapeutics like restriction enzymes, RNA interference, interferon, and CRISPR have?

Pertaining to hobbies and personal interests, Dr. Jordan shares “I love to be active and competitive. I grew up playing baseball and running track, but in grad school I joined a recreational flag football league and have continued to play in leagues everywhere I’ve lived since then. I’m excited to include Seattle in this tradition. But something I’ve never had easy access to is exploring the outdoors, thankfully Seattle and the PNW has this in abundance, so I’m looking forward to getting out there and exploring. Please feel free to suggest things!”