Biography
Theo Dreher is Professor Emeritus of Microbiology at Oregon State University. Much of his research career at OSU was devoted to molecular studies of RNA plant viruses and dengue virus. In the mid-2000’s, a project was begun to investigate the role of bacteriophage (bacterial viruses) in controlling cyanobacterial blooms. That work led to a range of studies on cyanobacterial HABs in lakes and reservoirs of the Pacific NW. The research continues in retirement, focusing on the analysis of the genome properties of cyanobacteria present in recent blooms in the Pacific Northwest. The research involvement in HAB-forming cyanobacteria has served well in advocating on behalf of OLA with the Oregon legislature, in support of allocating funds for monitoring and mitigating HABs in the state. Through OSU and OLA, Theo has sponsored annual Oregon CyanoHABs Stakeholder Meetings and has conducted workshops on CyanoHABs for field personnel. Theo served as Chair of the Department of Microbiology from 2004-2014 and has served as OLA President since 2017.
