Keilen Kelly
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Mail code: 4501Campus: Tempe
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Former PhD student and now research mentor for SOLUR and professor at Glendale Community College. Experienced with teaching and laboratory research. Interested in bacterial genetics, cell physiology, and data science.
ARCS Scholar: 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25
Certified instructor for Data Carpentry
Microbiology Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2025
Microbiology B.S., Brigham Young University, 2019
My PhD research focused on a mutation in the RNA polymerase of Escherichia coli that allows cells to tolerate high salt concentrations, high temperatures, and even exposure to antibiotics. My research helps us gain a better understanding of the mechanisms by which bacteria are able to survive stress, which allows us to more effectively prevent food contamination, combat infections, and mitigate the threat of antibiotic resistance.
Kelly K, Misra R. 2025. Insight on the roles of stringent response, stringent-like response, and general stress response in hyperosmotic shock tolerance in Escherichia coli. mBio 16:e02575-25. DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02575-25
Yeh M, Kelly K, Misra R. 2025. Characterization of a novel RNA polymerase mutant of Escherichia coli that confers thermal tolerance and chaperone independence. Mol Microbiol 124(4):310–326. DOI: 10.1111/mmi.70011
Nguyen D, Kelly K, Qiu N, Misra R. 2020. YejM controls LpxC levels by regulating protease activity of the FtsH/YciM complex of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol 202:e00303-20. DOI: 10.1128/JB.00303-20
Vuppada RK, Hansen CR, Strickland KAP, Kelly KM, McCleary WR. 2018. Phosphate signaling through alternate conformations of the PstSCAB phosphate transporter. BMC Microbiol 18(1):8. DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1126-z
Courses
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice Seminar |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher Seminar |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar Seminar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow Seminar |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 189 | SOLUR Apprentice |
| BIO 289 | SOLUR Researcher |
| BIO 389 | SOLUR Scholar |
| BIO 489 | SOLUR Fellow |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 181 | General Biology I |
| BIO 181 | General Biology I |
Kelly K, Misra R. 2025. Pre-activation of the stringent response alters cell morphology and increases salt tolerance in Escherichia coli. 64th Annual Meeting of the Arizona and Southern Nevada Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Flagstaff, AZ.
Holechek S, Kelly K. 2024. Leveraging the All of Us Database to Investigate the Obesity Epidemic in the Hispanic Population. Annual Biomedical Conference for Minoritized Scientists, Pittsburgh, PA.
Kelly K, Misra R. 2024. RNA polymerase mutation in E. coli confers osmotic stress tolerance independent of RpoS. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Arizona and Southern Nevada Branch of the American Society for Microbiology, Las Vegas, NV.
2025 University Outstanding Graduate Award from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences - Natural Sciences, Arizona State University
2025 The College Graduate Excellence Award, Arizona State University
2022-2025 Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Scholarship
2024 Harry Lowell Swift Advancing Health Scholarship
2021 Harry Lowell Swift Advancing Health Scholarship
2019 School of Life Sciences Fellowship, Arizona State University
2018 College Undergraduate Research Award, Brigham Young University
American Society for Microbiology, Arizona and Southern Nevada Branch
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science
Certified Data Carpentry instructor, The Carpentries initiative
01/26 - present Adjunct Faculty, Glendale Community College
01/26 - present Coordinator and Instructor, School of Life Science Undergraduate Researcher (SOLUR) Program, Arizona State University
01/23-12/25 Instructor, School of Life Science Undergraduate Researcher (SOLUR) Program, Arizona State University
08/19-12/25 Graduate Researcher, Misra Lab, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
07/24-10/24 Curriculum Designer and Lead Instructor, School of Life Science Undergraduate Researcher (SOLUR) Program, Arizona State University
08/19-12/22 Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
07/24-present NIH All of Us Research Program Promotores team, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
08/19-present Guest speaker for CREST specialty program, Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix, AZ
08/19-12/25 Volunteer for “Ask A Biologist” program, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
03/24-04/24 Judge for Arizona Science Olympiad State Tournament, Tempe, AZ
08/23-12/23 Mentor for high school research projects, Paradise Valley High School, Phoenix, AZ
08/19-03/20 Graduate Partners in Science Education teacher, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ