COSAM News Articles 2023 May Mark Liles appointed COSAM’s Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Mark Liles appointed COSAM’s Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Published: 05/02/2023

Mark Liles, the acting associate dean of research and graduate studies in the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM), has been appointed to the permanent position. Since August 2021, Liles has been in a transitional role. As of May 1, 2023, Liles will officially be the associate dean for research and graduate studies.

“During my time in this position as acting associate dean, I have had a chance to work with outstanding COSAM faculty, students and staff who work diligently and all contribute to helping our college develop new frontiers in research that has global impact,” said Liles. “I am genuinely excited about being able to support Dean Thomas’ bold vision for COSAM and help the next generation of faculty and students grow and flourish as they conduct cutting-edge research and contribute to society in so many ways including as scientists, educators and entrepreneurs.”

Liles earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Tulane University and his PhD in microbiology from Northwestern University. He joined COSAM’s Department of Biological Sciences as an assistant professor in 2005 and became the Marguerite Scharnagle Endowed Professor in 2020.

Liles leads a productive research group at Auburn and has received 78 grants and published 133 peer-reviewed articles. The Liles lab merges the science of microbiology, genomics and bioinformatics to identify new antibiotics that target human pathogens, to study the world-wide spread and virulence of bacterial pathogens and to develop new sustainable ways to prevent disease in agriculture and aquaculture. He also has experience in translating academic technology into the biotech industry as the cofounder of the Varigen Biosciences Corporation (Varizymes) and founder of the Terra Bioforge Corporation.