Jesse Cahill

Biography

My primary area of expertise and interest lies in bacteriophages, the viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria. My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (UWGB), where I majored in Chemistry and Human Biology (2010–2013). I then pursued my Ph.D. in Biochemistry at Texas A&M University, conducting research at the Center for Phage Technology (CPT) under the mentorship of Dr. Ry Young (2013–2017). Following my doctoral studies, I held two postdoctoral research appointments: one at the CPT and another at Sandia National Laboratories under Dr. Anne Ruffing (2018–2020).
Currently, my lab integrates microbiology, molecular biology, and phage technology to address research and development challenges within the mission spaces of the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DOE). Our work spans fundamental research and applied science, leveraging the unique properties of phages to tackle complex biological problems.
Some of our notable achievements include the development of specialized media that mimic the protective effects of saliva for viruses in aerosols, enhancing the use of viral surrogates in airborne pathogen studies. Additionally, we have pioneered the application of phages to elite eukaryotic microalgae systems, successfully eliminating bacterial pathogens while preserving the algae’s growth-promoting and protective microbiome.

Education

BS Majors Chemistry and Human Biology, UW-Green Bay, 2013

PhD Biochemistry Texas A&M, 2017

Research Interests

• Phage Engineering: Modifying phages to expand their host range into non-canonical systems, enabling diverse biotechnological applications.
• Genome Editing Tools: Identifying and characterizing phage genes, such as integrases and excisionases, to expand the toolkit for precise and controlled genome editing.
• Non-Canonical Phage Lysis Systems: Investigating alternative mechanisms of phage-induced bacterial lysis for novel applications.
• Phage-Microbiome Interactions: Applying natural or engineered phages in microbiomes and exploring pseudolysogeny to better understand phage-host dynamics.
• DNA Forensics
• Biosensors: Developing novel biosensors for detecting threats and environmental monitoring.
• Phage as Viral Surrogates: Using phages as surrogates to study the killing, capturing, and detection of viral pathogens in various contexts.
• GenAI and Bioinformatics: Exploring the intersection of generative AI and biology to advance predictive biology.

Through these efforts, my lab aims to push the boundaries of phage science, contributing to advancements in biotechnology, synthetic biology, and biodefense. I am passionate about fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and translating fundamental discoveries into impactful solutions for global challenges.

Awards

Sandia
• Sandia Secretary of Energy Achievement Honor Award (2021)
• Sandia Employee Recognition Award Recipient (2024)
Texas A&M
• Texas A&M Student Research Week Interdisciplinary award
UWGB
• Sager Science Writing Scholarship
• Nancy J. Sell Memorial Scholarship
• Herbert and Crystal Sandmire Scholarship
• University of Wisconsin Green Bay Academic Highest Honors

Publications

•Cahill, J., et al. “Biotic Countermeasures that Rescue Nannochloropsis gaditana from a Bacillus safensis Infection.” Link

•Cahill, J., et al. “Spatial and temporal control of lysis by the lambda holin” mBio (2023) Link

•Cahill, J., et al. “Viral Preservation with Protein-Supplemented Nebulizing Media in Aerosols. AEM (2023). Link

•Chamblee, Jake S., et al. “Endolysin Regulation in Phage Mu Lysis.” Mbio (2022). Link

•Cahill, J., et al. “Phage-Encoded Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide for Outer Membrane Disruption During Lysis” (2021). Link

•Cahill, J, Ruffing, A., “Revisiting the effects of Xenon on Urate Oxidase and Tissue Plasminogen Activator: No Evidence for Inhibition by Noble Gases.”  (2020).  Link •Cahill, J., and Young, R., Release of Phages From Prokaryotic Cells. Encyclopedia of Virology 4^th ed. 2020

•Cahill, J., and Young, R. “Phage lysis: Multiple Genes for Multiple Barriers.” (2019).  Link
•Hernandez-Morales, A., et al.  “Genomic and Biochemical Characterization of Acinetobacter Podophage Petty Reveals a Novel Lysis Mechanism and Tail-Associated Depolymerase Activity.”  (2018).  Link
•Kongari, R., et al.  “Phage Spanins: Diversity, Topological Dynamics, and Gene Convergence.” (2018).  Link

•Cahill, J., et al. “Suppressor Analysis of the Fusogenic Lambda Spanins.” (2017).  Link

•Cahill, J., et al. “Genetic Analysis of the Lambda Spanins Rz and Rz1: Identification of Functional Domains.”  (2017).  Link

•Rajaure, M., et al. “Membrane Fusion During Phage Lysis.” (2015).  Link