The Hayes Lab
Marshall Hayes, PhD
Dr. Marshall Hayes is a Lecturer and Acting Coordinator of the Research First Initiative at NJCSTM. He received a B.A. from Williams College, double majoring in Geosciences and Environmental Studies, and then earned a Master’s in Science Policy and a Ph.D. in Earth and Ocean Sciences from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.
Prior to coming to Kean, he was a Research Scientist in the Dept. of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology at Cornell University. Dr. Hayes’ research has ranged from the study of health indicators in the environment to the management of disease in agricultural settings. He has expertise in the molecular microbiology of bacteria and fungi, global biogeochemistry, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of disease in the environment.
Dr. Hayes is particularly enthusiastic about promoting innovation in undergraduate STEM education through the use of creative and immersive teaching techniques to enhance student engagement with scholarly material, to influence student attitudes towards learning and to stimulate critical thinking, communication and self-confidence.
Current Research Focus - Microbes & Microbiomes
Earth is a microbial world in many respects. While people generally associate microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses and fungi) with life-threatening diseases, the bulk of our scientific research indicates that most microbes are benign and potentially even beneficial in the context of human and environmental health. In this research stream, you will take a hands-on approach to exploring the vast microbial diversity that lies hidden in, on and around us.
Students will gain a working knowledge of concepts that are relevant to environmental microbiology from the fields of ecology, evolution, molecular biology and genetics, while honing laboratory skills in classical and molecular microbiology, including isolating, cultivating and characterizing samples using biochemical, genetic, genomic and bioinformatic techniques.
In collaboration with the American Type Culture Collection’s Center for Translational Microbiology, we will also highlight the use of culture collections in the search for new targets of therapeutic chemicals, the design of diagnostic tools based on the human microbiome, the identification of novel enzymes for producing next-generation biofuels, and ways to produce highly valued materials from waste streams and other environmentally sustainable sources. This research stream is directed at students with particular curiosities about biomedicine, ecology, science education, agriculture and engineering, although other disciplinary interests are also appropriate. Science education majors who enroll in this stream will also have the opportunity to develop a teaching curriculum around their research.
Microbes and Microbiomes
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