Faculty Profiles

Don Paetkau

Don Paetkau

Associate Professor
Biology
Neuroscience
278 Science Hall

Phone 

Education 

PhD, University of Notre Dame
BSc, MSc, University of Manitoba
BTh, Canadian Mennonite University (formerly CMBC)

Research Interests 

  • Fruit fly vision
  • Fruit fly genomics
  • Yeast biosensors
  • Science education

Courses Recently Taught 

  • BIO155L: Foundations of Molecular Biology Lab
  • BIO221L: Genetics Lab
  • BIO 230(L): Molecular Cell Biology
  • BIO310: Teaching in Biology
  • BIO 330: Seminar in Molecular/Cellular Biology
  • BIO 331(L): Biotechnology
  • BIO 385: Introduction to Research
  • BIO485: Research in Biology
  • BIO 485: Research in Biology
  • BIO155L: Foundations of Molecular Biology Lab
  • BIO221L: Genetics Lab

Professional Experience 

  • Postdoctoral research associate, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
  • IU Health Goshen Hospital Institutional Review Board, chair
  • Leader or co-leader of five Study Abroad programs

Creative and Scholarly Work 

  • N. Spica*, M. Green*, L. Lown*, R. Duwal, M. Fuyal, S. Giri, B. Giri, D. Paetkau & R. Lamichhane-Khadka (2021) Development of a microbiological paper-based analytical device to detect fecal contamination of water in resource-limited settings. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 232, Article number: 164.
  • D. Lopatto,1 A.G. Rosenwald, J.R. DiAngelo, A.T. Hark, M. Skerritt, M. Wawersik, … D. Paetkau, … W. Leung, L.K. Reed, S.C.R. Elgin. (2020) Facilitating growth through frustration: Using genomics research in a course-based undergraduate research experience. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. 21: 21.1.6.
  • W. Leung, C.D. Shaffer, E.J. Chen, T.J. Quisenberry, K. Ko, J.M. Braverman, … D.W. Paetkau, R.K. Bridgman*, C.M. Brown*, A.R. Carroll*, F.M. Gifford*, J.B. Gillespie*, S.E. Herman*, K.L. Holtcamp*, M.A. Host, G. Hussey, D.M. Kramer, J.Q. Lawrence, M.M. Martin, E.N. Niemiec, A.P. O'Reilly, O.A. Pahl, G. Quintana, E.A.S. Rettie, T.L. Richardson, A.E. Rodriguez, M.O. Rodriguez, L. Schiraldi, J.J. Smith, K.F. Sugrue, L.J. Suriano, K.E. Takach, A.M. Vasquez, X. Velez, E. J. Villafuerte, L.T. Vives, V.R. Zellmer, … J. Buhler, E.R. Mardis, S.C.R. Elgin. (2017) Retrotransposons are the major contributors to the expansion of the Drosophila ananassae muller F element. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 7:2439-2460.
  • S.C.R. Elgin, C. Hauser, T.M. Holzen, C. Jones, A. Kleinschmit, J. Leatherman, … D. Paetkau, … L. Zhou. (2017) The GEP: Crowd-sourcing big data analysis with undergraduates. Trends in Genetics 33:81-85.
  • Paetkau, D.W., V. A. Elagin, L.M. Sendi, D. R. Hyde. "Isolation and characterization of Drosophila retinal degeneration B suppressors."  Genetics 151 (1999): 713-724.
  • Paetkau, D.W., J.A. Riese, W.S. MacMorran, R. A. Woods, R.D. Gietz.  "Interactions of the yeast Rad7 and Sir3 proteins: implications for DNA repair and chromatin structure." Genes & Dev. 8 (1994): 2035-2045.

Professional Memberships 

  • Genetics Society of America
  • Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society
  • Beta Beta Beta: National Biological Honors Society
  • Association for Biological Laboratory Education
  • Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science