Samantha Orchard

Associate Professor of Practice - School of Plant Sciences
orchard@arizona.edu, Marley 541D
(520) 621-3969

Educational Background

  • NIH postdoctoral fellow, bacterial genetics, San Diego State University (Dr. Anca Segall)
  • Ph.D., Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison (Dr. Heidi Goodrich-Blair)
  • B.S., Microbiology, University of Washington-Seattle

Selected Publications

Orchard, S. 2021. Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Tips for Inclusive Teaching. American Society for Microbiology website
Menon S, Orchard SS, Badger J, Lipson D, Guidi S, Sircar JC, Alisala K. 2020. Pharmaceutical products from fungal strains. U.S. Patent US10682380B2
Tan X, Dodge C, Wong K, Milan AA, Orchard S, Cai R. 2019. Methods for identifying promoters for protein production in yeast. WIPO Patent Application No. WO 2019/236452A1
Menon SM, Suresh AV, Orchard SS, Alisala K, Sircar JC, Hash SI. 2018. Animal meal that includes fungal biomass. U.S. Patent US9994804B4
Menon SM, Orchard SS, Badger J, Lipson D, Guidi S, Newman D. 2017. Bioreactors comprising fungal strains. U.S. Patent US9567556B2
Orchard SS, Rostron JE, Segall AM. 2012. Escherichia coli enterobactin synthesis and uptake mutants are hypersensitive to an antimicrobial peptide that limits the availability of iron in addition to blocking Holliday junction resolution. Microbiology 158:547-559
Peterson SW, Orchard SS, Menon S. 2011. Penicillium menonorum, a new species related to P. pimiteouiense. IMA Fungus 2:121-125

Teaching Responsibilities

  • PLS 170C2 Introductory Biotechnology (EP-Natural Scientist General Education course)
  • MCB/MIC/PLS 340 Introduction to Biotechnology (foundational concepts that drive Biotechnology)
  • PLS 340L Biotechnology laboratory (hands-on microbial molecular biology, cloning, heterologous protein production)
  • PLS 434 534 Industrial Biotechnology (especially the use of microbial fermentation to make biotechnology products)
  • ACBS/NSC/PLS 498C Applied Biotechnology Senior Capstone (for seniors who are majors in the Applied Biotechnology program)