By Alexa Ganzeveld ’22

Sean Coleman joined the Wartburg College faculty this fall as an associate professor of biology. He had previously served as a professor and dean of the Division of Sciences and Mathematics at the University of the Ozarks, in Clarksville, Arkansas, where he had been teaching since 2000.

His classes at Wartburg currently focus on “the small stuff,” like micro and cell biology, with additional opportunities to teach molecular biology and genetics.

“It’s been great so far. It’s nice to be back in front of students after a long hiatus since March,” he said.

Coleman, who earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Luther College in 1993, understands the importance of a liberal arts education. He later earned a Ph.D. in molecular physiology from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

“I know the ethos of the campus, and I was very excited to come on campus and get to work in such an environment with talented colleagues and students,” he said. “I really like the Lutheran ideal of higher education. I enjoy teaching passionate undergraduates in the classroom as well as in the laboratory, and so when I saw a job was available I jumped at the chance.”

Despite starting this new role in the middle of a pandemic, Coleman said he is eager to get to know his students and begin helping them reach their goals. For some, that could mean partnering with him on his current line of research: phage therapy.

Phage therapy, or the use of bacterial viruses to treat bacterial infections, has been around for more than a century. However, as more bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, scientists like Coleman are searching for new ways to use phages to treat the stubborn bacteria.

“One of the things that I’m going to do with students here is to search out new phages that could potentially be used for phage therapy,” said Coleman, who also wants to learn more about bacteria phages and what role they play in the environment. “I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.”

Coleman currently lives in Waverly with his wife, Jennifer, and three children, Gwenyth, Matthew, and Arya.