The Hazen Lab is a diverse group of postdoctoral fellows, research associates, graduate students, undergraduates and visiting professors in microbial ecology and environmental engineering led by Dr. Terry C. Hazen. The primary research emphasis of the lab is basic and applied field microbial ecology, especially as it relates to bioremediation, biofuels, enhanced oil recovery and water quality. The overarching vision for the lab is understanding the fundamental concepts of systems biology and environmental stress response pathways from the molecular to the ecosystem level to improve our knowledge of biogeochemistry. Their latest studies are using genome biosensors as predictors of water quality, environmental health, human health and detrimental contamination. As part of the COVID-19 pandemic response, the group is monitoring wastewater from dormitories and other buildings on the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus for the SARS CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. When the virus is detected in building wastewater, the pooled sampling surveillance team and Student Health Center is notified for further investigation. This should help UTK stay vigilant of student, faculty and staff health.
 
Dr. Hazen is first generation college graduate, receiving his B. S. and M.S. degrees in Interdepartmental Biology from Michigan State University. His Ph.D. is from Wake Forest University in Microbial and Parasite Ecology. He is currently the Governor’s Chair Professor at the University of Tennessee in the Departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Microbiology and Earth & Planetary Sciences and Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has authored more than 380 scientific publications (H-index=71), almost 2,000 abstracts and chapters in several books. He has supervised more then 35 theses, 20 postdoctoral fellows and sat on >40 thesis committees.