The Phage Pathways program, funded by the United States Department of Energy aims to support innovative curricular and programmatic development in the undergraduate (junior/senior years) and graduate program in Microbiology and Cell and Molecular Biology at two Minority Serving Institutions San Francisco State University, and San Diego State University, with collaborative and immersive research experiences with co-investigators at University of California Davis, and DOE National Laboratories - Sandia National Laboratories and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that is grounded in an evidence-based traineeship model. Students from collaborator Skyline College will also participate in program offerings.

Our project’s scientific objectives include:
(1) characterizing bacterial resistance against phages and
(2) assessing how these interactions affect methane production, thus influencing bioenergy efficiency.

Our project’s training objectives include:
(1) developing and implementing specialized modules in microbiology, genomics, and bioinformatics,
(2) promoting interdisciplinary collaboration through internships and bootcamps and
(3) disseminating research findings through curriculum, scholarly publications and community engagement.

The project’s mentoring, recruitment and accountability objectives include:
(1) preparing students for careers in bioenergy and environmental sciences; and
(2) continuously evaluating and refining educational methods to maximize learning and career preparation.