Dustin Van Hofwegen, Ph.D.

Dr. Van Hofwegen is an internationally recognized scientist and scholar studying microbial genetics and the development of virulence in bacterial pathogens. After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Van Hofwegen then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases where he worked to understand host-pathogen interactions for the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, and the genetic elements that cause these bacteria to be so virulent.

The development of virulence is a question that has long plagued biologists, but also theologians as well. Why do pathogens exist? Where do pathogens come from? Why does evil exist? Dr. Van Hofwegen has investigated the genomics of several pathogens, using genome comparisons to ascertain the nature of virulence for these pathogenic organisms. By studying microbial evolution and the development of virulence, these studies inform and speak into a Christian and scientific understanding of the problem of evil.

The studies undertaken in the Van Hofwegen laboratory have revealed mechanisms of adaptation designed to allow organisms to modify gene expression in response to fluctuating environments. Dr. Van Hofwegen is regularly invited to international scientific conferences and frequently speaks on the intersection of science and faith as it relates to his research, and has published work in top-tier academic science journals such as the Journal of Bacteriology, Journal of Physiology, and Epigenomics.

His current role in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry is to teach students the foundational concepts and skills of the sciences through a Christian worldview. The apostle Paul speaks to this importance in the open chapter of Romans, 1:20: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.” (ESV) He feels privileged to teach students about God’s creation, where he reinforces the Christian worldview with the truth and beauty of the biological world which clearly points to our creator God’s eternal power and divine nature!

Current research in the Van Hofwegen laboratory continues to focus on using an engineering perspective to understand several other molecular mechanisms of gene regulation— providing a solid heuristic for identifying how life is organized, how organisms respond to their environment, and how organisms adapt. He trains students in both the classroom and the lab to recognize and understand this design inference. The design inference reinforces a theistic worldview, while also training future scientists and leaders to accurately understand God’s creation. His hope is that students develop this Christian theistic-friendly apologetic that reinforces their faith, and develops a firm foundation for a lifetime of influential leadership in all areas of their life!

Courses Taught:

• Principles of Biology I
• Microbiology
• Genetics
• Cell Biology
• Immunology
• Senior Seminar