Karen L. Visick, Ph.D.
She/her
Loyola University Chicago
Karen Visick, Ph.D., is a professor in the Microbiology and Immunology Department at Loyola University Chicago. Her research focuses on host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions, with an emphasis on Vibrio fischeri and its ability to form and disperse from biofilms that promote host colonization.
Visick received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where she studied Salmonella flagella gene regulation under the mentorship of Kelly Hughes, Ph.D. She then performed post-doctoral work at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii in the laboratory of Ned Ruby, Ph.D. There, she began to develop genetic tools for the study of V. fischeri and identified luminescence as an important trait for host colonization. After taking her independent position at Loyola University Chicago, she directed work that led to the development of V. fischeri as a model of host-associated biofilm formation, including the identification of key polysaccharide biosynthetic genes and the elucidation of a complex regulatory scheme that governs biofilm formation.
Visick was the chair and co-chair for the 2022 and 2018 iterations of the 91麻豆天美 Conference on Biofilms. She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Bacteriology and Applied and Environmental Microbiology. She became a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology in 2016. At Loyola, she has served as graduate program director and vice-chair for her department. She has been honored to be selected as Loyola’s Senior Scientist of the Year (2021) and Graduate Faculty Member of the Year (2023).
Visick received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where she studied Salmonella flagella gene regulation under the mentorship of Kelly Hughes, Ph.D. She then performed post-doctoral work at the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii in the laboratory of Ned Ruby, Ph.D. There, she began to develop genetic tools for the study of V. fischeri and identified luminescence as an important trait for host colonization. After taking her independent position at Loyola University Chicago, she directed work that led to the development of V. fischeri as a model of host-associated biofilm formation, including the identification of key polysaccharide biosynthetic genes and the elucidation of a complex regulatory scheme that governs biofilm formation.
Visick was the chair and co-chair for the 2022 and 2018 iterations of the 91麻豆天美 Conference on Biofilms. She serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Bacteriology and Applied and Environmental Microbiology. She became a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology in 2016. At Loyola, she has served as graduate program director and vice-chair for her department. She has been honored to be selected as Loyola’s Senior Scientist of the Year (2021) and Graduate Faculty Member of the Year (2023).