The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is excited to welcome Aaron Onufrak as a lecturer in bioinformatics, focusing on agriculture and environmental sciences. Onufrak joined the team on February 1, 2025.

In this role, Onufrak will develop and teach courses on bioinformatics, which involves using computational tools to analyze extensive biological data sets. The courses will offer hands-on learning opportunities for students, instructing them in various programming languages to address questions related to the agricultural and environmental sciences.

“I am very excited about preparing students for careers in bioinformatics,” Onufrak says. “I’m also looking forward to interacting with students in the classroom and helping them develop into scientists capable of using their knowledge to generate real-life solutions to issues in agriculture.” 

While earning a doctoral degree in entomology and plant pathology with a concentration in bioinformatics, genomics, and molecular interactions, Onufrak dedicated time to mentoring undergraduate students. For four summers, Onufrak served as a graduate student mentor for Explore BiGG Data, a USDA-NIFA sponsored program for undergraduate students learning the principles of bioinformatics, genetics, and genomics. 

Before joining UTIA, Onufrak was a postdoctoral research scholar in the Division of Biosciences at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he focused on characterizing the impacts of pathogenic and beneficial fungi and bacteria on soil and plant microbiomes using a combination of metagenomics and amplicon sequencing.

Outside of work, Onufrak enjoys spending time outdoors, running, kayaking, and playing volleyball. He welcomes students interested in bioinformatics to reach out via email or visit his office.

By Teneria Orange