Betsy Martinez-Vaz
Dr. Betsy M. Martinez-Vaz is a Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at ÀÇÓÑÉçÇø. Originally from Puerto Rico, she earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Universidad del Turabo and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Minnesota. Before joining the ÀÇÓÑÉçÇø faculty, she did postdoctoral work in transcriptional regulation and microbial genomics and completed the Preparing Future Faculty certification program.
Dr. Martinez-Vaz leads a successful undergraduate research program focused on how microorganisms degrade environmentally, agriculturally, and medically relevant organonitrogen compounds, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and explosives. Her work integrates microbiology, biochemistry, microbial physiology, genomics, and bioinformatics to study the enzymes and pathways involved in these processes. She is also involved in antibiotic discovery through the Tiny Earth initiative and develops Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) that bring authentic research into biology and biochemistry classrooms.
She teaches courses in biochemistry, microbiology, virology, and public health and serves as a pre-medical advisor at ÀÇÓÑÉçÇø. Dr. Martinez-Vaz is passionate about mentoring students and fostering an engaging, research-driven learning environment that prepares students for careers in industry, research, and healthcare. She is an active member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Chemical Society, and the American Society for Microbiology.
I want students to learn science by connecting it to their world. My goal is to provide a supportive learning environment that sparks curiosity and shows how science applies to their daily lives.
— Dr. Betsy M. Martinez-Vaz
Recent publications
Martinez-Vaz, B. M., and Bell, E. (Eds.). (2025). Molecular life science CUREs: Design, implementation, and assessment (Vol. 1493). American Chemical Society.
Martinez-Vaz, B.M., Howard, A.L., Jamburuthugoda, V.K., and Callahan, K.P. (2024). Insights into the regulation of malate dehydrogenase: inhibitors, activators, and allosteric modulation by small molecules. Essays in Biochemistry EBC20230087. doi:
MartÃnez-Vaz B.M., Mans TL, Callahan KP, Peterson CN, Bell E. (2023). Fostering Student-to-Student Collaboration Across Institutions in a Protein-Centric CURE. CourseSource 10.
Martinez-Vaz Betsy M., Dodge Anthony G., Lucero Rachael M., Stockbridge Randy B., Robinson Ashley A*., Tassoulas Lambros J., Wackett Lawrence P. (2022). Wastewater Bacteria Remediating the Pharmaceutical Metformin: Genomes, Plasmids, and Products. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 10:1086261
Callahan, K. P., Peterson, C. N., Martinez-Vaz, B. M., Huisinga, K. L., Galport, N., Koletar, C., Eddy, R. M., Provost, J. J., Bell, J. K., & Bell, E. (2022). External Collaboration Results in Student Learning Gains and Positive STEM Attitudes in CUREs. CBE life sciences education, 21(4), ar74.
Tassoulas, L.J., Robinson, A.*, Martinez-Vaz, B.M, Aukema, K.G, and Wackett, L.P. (2021). Filling in the Gaps in Metformin Biodegradation: A New Enzyme and a Metabolic Pathway for Guanylurea. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 11: 87(11): e03003-20.
Robinson, S.L., Biernath, T., Rosenthal*, C., Young*, D., Wackett, L.P. and Martinez-Vaz, B.M. (2021). Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates During a Pandemic. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. 22(1):22.1.49.
Mickelson, M* and Martinez-Vaz, B.M. (2020). In Silico Phage Hunting: Bioinformatics Exercises to Explore Viral Genomes and Bacteriophage Phylogeny. Front. Microbiol. 11:577634