Bridget Barker

About Bridget Barker

Professor | Fungal Pathogen Researcher | Genomics & Bioinformatics ExpertI’m a Professor of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University and a researcher at the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, with a passion for understanding and combating fungal diseases—especially Coccidioides spp, the pathogens behind Valley Fever.With a background in genetics, microbiology, and computational biology, my work bridges molecular research and real-world health challenges. I lead projects focused on fungal genomics, host-pathogen interactions, and environmental surveillance, and I direct NAU’s ABSL-3 lab, where we’re pioneering in vivo transcriptomics and CRISPR-based functional genomics.My research has been supported by NIH (R21, K22, U19), and I collaborate on initiatives to improve diagnostics, develop vaccines, and better understand the ecological and genetic factors driving fungal virulence and distribution.Let’s connect if you’re interested in infectious disease research, fungal biology, or collaborative science that spans the lab bench to public health impact.See my pubs at Selected Recent Publications **Tenório BG, Kollath DR, et al, Barker BM.**(2024).*Tracing histoplasmosis genomic epidemiology and species occurrence across the Microbes & Infections** → Mapped the genomic landscape of *Histoplasma*, revealing new insights into its spread and diversity.**Eulálio KD, Kollath DR, et al, Barker BM.**(2024).*Epidemiological, clinical, and genomic landscape of coccidioidomycosis in northeastern Communications** → First large-scale genomic study of Valley Fever in Brazil, highlighting regional emergence and diversity.**Coyne VU, Mead HLG, Mongini PKAVS, Barker BM.**(2023).*B Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Development in Mice with Chronic Lung Exposure to → Uncovered potential links between chronic fungal exposure and hematologic malignancies.**McHardy IH, Barker BM, Thompson GR.**(2023).*Review of Clinical and Laboratory Diagnostics for of Clinical Microbiology** → A go-to reference for clinicians and researchers on current diagnostic tools for Valley Fever.

Experience

1. Director

   Hcmmc High Containment Murine Model Center

   Sep 2020 — Present · Flagstaff, AZ, US

Education

• University of Arizona

  PhD, Genetics

  2004 — 2009

• University of Montana

  MS, Biology

  1996 — 1999

• University of Montana

  BA, Biology- Botany

  1992 — 1995

Skills

• Molecular Cloning
• Science
• Biochemistry
• Research
• Microarray Analysis
• Phylogenetics
• Western Blotting
• Population Genetics
• Microscopy
• Dna
• Sequence Analysis
• Laboratory
• Blast
• Microarrays
• Life Sciences
• Sequencing
• Ecology
• Cell
• Pcr
• Elisa
• Comparative Genomics
• Molecular & Cellular Biology
• Molecular Genetics
• Genotyping
• Biotechnology
• Protein Purification
• Evolutionary Biology
• Rna Isolation
• Microbiology
• Dna Sequencing
• Dna Extraction
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology
• Fluorescence Microscopy
• Rt-Pcr
• Electrophoresis
• Cell Culture
• Bioinformatics
• Transcriptomics
• Qpcr