Josie Rivera Alfaro, M.S.
Pronouns: she, her
Doctoral Student
Department of Biology
SDSU/ UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Cell and Molecular Biology
College of Sciences
SDSU / UC San Diego
Primary Email: [email protected]
Building/Location
Life Science North - 401
5500 Campanile Dr
San Diego,
CA
92182
Website Links
Bio
My research interests are microbial genetics and genome engineering to understand host-microbe interactions. Previous research experience includes investigating marine algae and microbes as well as biotechnology experience developing synthetic mRNA vaccines and therapeutics.
Education
M.S. in Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology)
San Diego State University
B.S. in Biochemistry/Chemistry
UC San Diego
Areas of Expertise
Bacterial genetics and genome editing, Gut microbiome, Host-Microbe interactions
Fun Facts
I enjoy baking desserts, nail polish collecting, working out, and trying new foods (preferably spicy).
Mentors
Awards & Honors
2025, May: SDSU University Graduate Fellowship
2023, November: SDSU Harold and June Grant Memorial Scholarship
2023, September: SDSU Prebys Biomedical Research Scholarship
2023, May: SDSU Master’s Research Scholarship
2023, May: Association of Women in Science–San Diego Scholarship
Presentations
Rivera Alfaro, Josefa. Characterizing the Bacteroidales injection system in a human gut bacterium. Poster presented at: SDSU Student Symposium; February 28, 2025; San Diego, CA
Rivera Alfaro, Josefa. Characterizing the Bacteroidales injection system in a human gut bacterium. Poster presented at: SDSU Student Symposium; March 1, 2024; San Diego, CA
Rivera Alfaro, Josefa. Characterizing the Bacteroidales injection system in a human gut bacterium. Poster presented at: 9th SoCal Microbiome Symposium, UC Riverside; September 22, 2023; Riverside, CA
Rivera Alfaro, Josefa. Characterizing the protein composition of Bacteroidales contractile injection systems. Poster presented at: SDSU Student Symposium; March 3, 2023; San Diego, CA
Rivera, Josefa. Bacterioplankton utilization of colloidal organic matter: experimental degradation of the large and abundant protein RuBisCO. Poster presented at: Scripps Student Symposium; September 26, 2018; La Jolla, CA
Publications
Darin, Emily, Farrell, Morgan V., Ali, Tatiana, Rivera Alfaro, Josefa, Malter, Kyle E., Shikuma, Nicholas J. “MyD88 knockdown by RNAi prevents bacterial stimulation of tubeworm metamorphosis.” PNAS, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2505805122
Malter, Kyle E., Dunbar, Tiffany, Westin, Carl, Darin, Emily, Rivera Alfaro, Josefa, Shikuma, Nicholas J. “A bacterial membrane-disrupting protein stimulates animal metamorphosis.” mBio, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03573-24
Garza, Erin A., Bielinski, Vincent A., Espinoza, Josh L., Orlandi, Kona, Rivera Alfaro, Josefa, Bolt, Tayah M., Beeri, Karen, Weyman, Philip D., and Dupont, Christopher L. “Validating a promoter library for application in plasmid-based diatom genetic engineering.” ACS Synthetic Biology, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1021/acssynbio.3c00163
Weyman, Philip D., Beeri, Karen, Lefebvre, Stephane C., Rivera, Josefa, McCarthy, James K., Heuberger, Adam L., Peers, Graham, Allen, Andrew E., Dupont, Christopher L. “Inactivation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum urease gene using transcription activator‐like effector nuclease‐based targeted mutagenesis.” Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12254