Dr. Sorg is not just a passionate researcher, but also a dedicated educator and mentor who takes the opportunity to guide young scientists very seriously. He not only teaches in the classroom environment, but also has the privilege of supervising 3-4 undergraduate researchers in his lab every semester. Under his guidance, these students are given the opportunity to tackle their own research projects, frequently focused on inactivating genes in C. difficile. Dr. Sorg prides himself on being a good teacher and mentor, providing his students with the support, guidance, and resources they need to succeed in their research endeavors. For any students interested in the exciting world of undergraduate research (BIOL 291 / 491), Dr. Sorg encourages you to reach out to him by email or stop by his office in BSBE 314C.

Biology 351 - Fundamentals of Microbiology

This course provides a basic understanding of microbes, their biology and their importance.  For microbiology majors, this course serves as the foundation for further study of the field.  For non-majors, this course provides the basic information needed to understand how microbes affect our lives and livelihoods.  Topics range from general microbial physiology and metabolism to immunology and microbial pathogenesis.

BIOL 351 is a writing-intensive class that fulfills the requirements for a W-course. The writing component includes writing exercises designed to develop skill in writing for different audiences (scientific and general). Writing assignments include short writing exercises (both in-class and take-home) and the preparation of laboratory reports.  Additionally, in-class exams include short-answer questions that test your ability to articulate your knowledge of microbiology.

Textbook: OpenStax Microbiology
Lab Manual: Microbiology Lab Manual, LeBoffe (Custom)

Biology 406 / Gene 406 - Bacterial Genetics

This course is a study of the genetic processes of bacteria, especially Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, covering such topics as: (i) the mechanisms of DNA replication; (ii) DNA recombination and repair; (iii) the causes and characterization of mutations; (iv) selection of mutants; (v) gene transfer processes; and (vi)  the process and regulatory control of gene expression.

Students will also experience reading, analyzing and discussing primary literature using seminal papers in microbial genetics and physiology.

Textbook: Molecular Genetics of Bacteria 5th Edition by Henkin & Peters.