Melissa Cregger
About Melissa Cregger
Melissa Cregger is a Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, specializing in the investigation of microbial community changes and their effects on human and plant health. She has a diverse research background, including post-doctoral work at the University of Illinois and Yale University, and holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Current Position at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Melissa Cregger serves as a Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, a position she has held since 2015. In this role, she investigates the interactions between microbial communities and their impact on the health of human and plant hosts. Her work emphasizes understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of these host-microbe interactions, contributing to advancements in microbial ecology.
Previous Experience in Research
Prior to her current role, Melissa Cregger worked as a Post-doctoral Research Associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from 2014 to 2015. She also held the position of Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 2012 to 2014. Earlier in her career, she was a Research Associate at HistoRx, Inc. from 2006 to 2007 and a Research Assistant at Yale University from 2004 to 2006.
Educational Background
Melissa Cregger earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biology from the University of Southern Indiana, where she studied from 1999 to 2003. She then pursued her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, completing her studies from 2007 to 2012.
Research Focus and Interests
Melissa Cregger's research focuses on how changes in microbial communities affect the health of both human and plant hosts. She is particularly interested in the spatial and temporal dynamics of host-microbe interactions, which are critical for understanding ecological relationships and their implications for health and disease.