Randall DeJong, Assistant Professor, Biology
616-526-7625
rdejong@calvin.edu
Office: DeVries Hall 109
Weekly Schedule
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Education
B.S. in Biology, Calvin College, 1994
M.S. in Zoology, Michigan State University, 1997
Ph.D., University of New Mexico, 2003
Research and Professional Interests
Professor DeJong’s research focuses on the biology of invertebrates, especially parasites and their hosts, from ecological, evolutionary, and genetic perspectives. He has long-standing interests in molluscs (snails, mussels, etc.) and in schistosomes, a group of parasites that includes species that cause human disease in many developing countries, and also includes species that are found in birds and mammals all over the world. He is currently interested in community assemblages of bacteria and bacteriophages within invertebrate hosts, viral genomes, and using molecular methods in ecological studies.
Professional Experience
Before coming to Calvin, Professor DeJong was a research scientist at the National Institutes of Health near Washington D.C. There he investigated, at the genetic level, the relationship between malaria parasites and the mosquitoes that transmit them. During his Ph.D. studies, Dr. DeJong participated in the first global genetic study of the parasite Schistosoma mansoni and led the most complete genetic study of its snail host, Biomphalaria. He has published more than 25 papers in the areas of parasitology, immunobiology, ecology, and evolution and has teaching experience at several institutions of higher learning.
Life outside of Calvin
Professor DeJong enjoys reading, attending concerts, working in the yard, hiking, and camping. He and his wife, Jennifer Knox DeJong, have been involved in ministry to college students since 2001, and are parents of two children.
See a partial list of Dr. DeJong's publications
