Kathryn Patenaude is an assistant professor in the Biology department at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, having taught Microbiology lecture and lab, Medical Microbiology lecture and lab, Cell biology lecture and lab, as well as introductory biology II lab. She has also been involved with student research at the college, specializing in projects involving microbes and/or zebrafish. Prior to her time at St. Joe’s, she has taught a variety of science courses at different Maine colleges, including Organic Chemistry, Human Anatomy & Physiology, General Chemistry for non-majors, and Infectious Disease. Professor Patenaude’s research primarily focuses on interactions between the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae and the fungus Candida albicans, two microbes that pose enhanced risks for mothers and their newborn children. Professor Patenaude continues to research how interactions between these two microbes influences under different growth conditions their ability to grow and withstand antimicrobial treatment in vitro, as well as in vivo using both neonatal and adult zebrafish models.
Professor Patenaude was raised in Aroostook County, Maine, and as a lifelong Mainer and a first-generation college student, she is very dedicated to teaching and mentoring students, especially those from rural areas. Professor Patenaude is also very passionate about teaching student athletes, as she loved playing softball during her undergraduate career. She also loves science communication, and being able to chat with students about their scientific interests. In her spare time, Professor Patenaude loves reading, cooking new recipes, and watching football (Go New York Football Giants!) with her husband and her cat Georgette.
Publications
Patenaude K, Bossow CN, Lane A, St-Pierre M, Wheeler RT, Neely MN. Interactions between Streptococcus agalactiae and Candida albicans affect persistence and virulence. Infect Immun. 2026 Feb 10;94(2):e0052825. doi: 10.1128/iai.00528-25. Epub 2026 Jan 7. PMID: 41498556; PMCID: PMC12890033.
Sayed-Zahid AA, Sher RB, Sukoff Rizzo SJ, Anderson LC, Patenaude KE, Cox GA. Functional rescue in a mouse model of congenital muscular dystrophy with megaconial myopathy. Hum Mol Genet. 2019 Aug 15;28(16):2635-2647. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddz068. PMID: 31216357; PMCID: PMC6687948.