Benjamin Kerr MD

Ben Kerr, assistant professor of biology, was recognized for his research and educational activities studying the way that hosts of infectious diseases moves around, and how this movement affects the evolution of pathogens that cause disease. He uses mathematical models, computer simulations and microbial experiments to address how social network structure affects evolution within host-pathogen communities.

The educational component of Kerrs research involves the design of learning modules that illustrate biological evolution in real time; it also includes a multi-quarter course where students design, troubleshoot, execute, analyze and present their own evolution experiments with microbes.