Our Team
Dr. Jesse Dillon - Principal Investigator
Professor of Biological Sciences, Department Chair
Dr. Dillon received his B.A. in Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University in 1994 and his Ph.D. in Microbial Ecology from the University of Oregon in 2000 working in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Castenholz. He was a Postdoctoral Fellow in Microbiology & Astrobiology working with Dr. David Stahl at the University of Washington until joining the CSULB faculty in January, 2004.
Dr. Dillon currently teaches a variety of courses including Microbial Ecology, Marine Microbiology and General Biology. Starting Fall 2022, he is also Department Chair of the Biological Sciences Department.
His research interests include the study of the diversity, physiology of Bacteria and Archaea in habitats ranging from coastal salt marshes and sulfur vents to hypersaline lakes and salterns. In particular his research has focused on photosynthetic and chemosynthetic microbial mats and halophilic prokaryotes and the viruses that infect them.
M.S. Biology/Microbiology Students
Dr. Dillon is not currently accepting new Master's students.
Undergraduate Students
- Amanda Tsai
Amanda is researching PAH-degrading microorganisms isolated from the Huntington Beach wetlands.
- Natalie Cokel
- Lauren Cross
- Katherine Yarbrough, 2018-2020
Thesis: Sulfur Metabolism Functional Potential Varies Across Prokaryotes - Rebecca Hernandez, 2016-2019
Thesis: Impact of Wave Action and Rainfall on Incidence and Antibiotic Resistance of Total Coliforms in Southern California Beaches - Ellie Wenger, 2014-2019
Thesis: Decomposer Community Response to Sea Level Rise in A California Salt Marsh - Michelle (Misha) Levish, 2013-2018
Thesis: Bacteria Associated with Microbialites at Pisa Pond, Death Valley National Park, California - Jessica Roussos , 2013-2017
Thesis: Spatial and Temporal Variation in White Point, Palos Verdes Hydrothermal Sulfur Vent Microbial Mat Community Structure - Priscilla Miranda , 2010-2015
Thesis: Tightly-Coupled Sulfur-Cycling Microbial Mats Of The White Point Hydrothermal Vent Field, Ca: An Analog For Deep-Sea Vents - Nathan Mclain , 2011-2015
Thesis: Effects of Sea Level Rise on Decomposers in a Restored Coastal Salt Marsh - Lindsay Darjany, 2009-2013
Thesis: Characterization of Salt Marsh Microbial and Invertebrate Carbon Cyclers Using Stable Isotope Approaches - Erin Schaadt, 2009-2012
Thesis: Seasonal Diversity and Salinity Tolerance of Cultivable Heterotrophic Marine Bacteria Along the Pacific Coast of North America - Meghan Rodela, 2008-2012
Thesis: Characterization of Halophiles and Phages from The Cargill Solar Salt Works, Newark, Ca - Karen Jackson, 2004-2011
Thesis: The Diversity and Activity of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Relationship to Soil Salinity In A Drained Salt Marsh
