William J. Kenyon, Ph.D.

Professor of Biology & Co-Director of Microbiology Certificate Program
School of Field Investigations and Experimental Sciences Dr. Perry College of Mathematics, Computing, and Sciences

678-839-4033
wkenyon@westgalNMmkwtJI8Lrgzdk3uV65C9yXVO3z6N5s5no4sY0UBRb.edu

Biology Building - Room 283
Office Hours
Please see course syllabi for current office hours.

Download curriculum vitae for William J. Kenyon, Ph.D. in PDF
William J. Kenyon, Ph.D.
Biography

Research Interests: Microbiology; bacteriology; bacterial physiology and genetics; survival of bacteria in the environment

Dr. William J. Kenyon is currently a full professor in the Biology Program at the University of West Georgia (UWG) where he is also co-director of the Microbiology Certificate Program. Dr. Kenyon graduated from the University of Missouri-Rolla (now Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 1991 with a B.S. in Life Sciences and from The University of Kansas in 1996 with a Ph.D. in Microbiology. Dr. Kenyon has been a faculty member at UWG since 2006 and previously worked as a postdoctoral research scientist in the Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (1996-2000) and as a postdoctoral research scientist, an NIH-AREA co-investigator, and a lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Alabama (2000-2006). Dr. Kenyon was also an adjunct lecturer at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama (2005). Dr. Kenyon’s research interests center around the genetic and physiological changes which occur in bacteria in response to environmental stresses. Dr. Kenyon has been a member of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) since 1992 and a member of the Southeastern Branch of the ASM since 2000. Over the course of his career, Dr. Kenyon has taught over 20 different biology courses and has mentored over 100 research students, several of whom have been co-authors on conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Education / Degrees
  • B.S., Life Sciences, University of Missouri - Rolla
    (now Missouri University of Science & Technology), 1991
  • Ph.D., Microbiology, The University of Kansas, 1996
Courses Taught
Course Sections and Syllabi

Fall 2025 Sections

Summer 2025 Sections

Spring 2025 Sections

Fall 2024 Sections

Summer 2024 Sections

Spring 2024 Sections

Fall 2023 Sections

Spring 2023 Sections

Fall 2022 Sections

Summer 2022 Sections

Spring 2022 Sections

Fall 2021 Sections

Summer 2021 Sections

Spring 2021 Sections

Fall 2020 Sections

Publication List

Young ES, Kenyon WJ (2023) Interaction of the dye aniline blue with the curdlan-type exopolysaccharide from Cellulomonas flavigena KU (ATCC 53703). Industrial Biotechnology 19(4):204-207

Young ES, Butler JD, Molesworth-Kenyon SJ, Kenyon WJ (2023) Biofilm-mediated fragmentation and degradation of microcrystalline cellulose by Cellulomonas flavigena KU (ATCC 53703). Current Microbiology 80, 200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-023-03309-w

Kenyon WJ (2017) The cellulomonads as an alternative source of the bacterial exopolysaccharide curdlan. In: Beta-glucans: applications, effects and research. (ed). Nova Science Publishing, Hauppauge, NY

Pittman JR, Kline LC, Kenyon WJ (2015) Carbon-starvation induces cross-resistance to thermal, acid, and oxidative stress in Serratia marcescens. Microorganisms 3:746-758

Spector MP, Kenyon WJ (2012) Resistance and survival strategies of Salmonella enterica to environmental stresses. Food Research International 45:455-481 [View Publication (PDF)]

Kenyon WJ, Spector MP (2012) Response of Salmonella enterica serovars to environmental stresses. In: Stress response of foodborne microorganisms; Advances in Food Safety and Food Microbiology. Wong HC (ed). Nova Science Publishing, Hauppauge, NY

Siriwardana LS, Gall AR, Buller CS, Esch SW, Kenyon WJ (2011) Factors affecting the accumulation and degradation of curdlan, trehalose and glycogen in cultures of Cellulomonas flavigena strain KU (ATCC 53703). Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 99:681-695 [View Publication (PDF)]

Kenyon WJ, Humphreys S, Roberts M, Spector MP (2010) Periplasmic peptidyl-prolyl isomerases SurA and FkpA play an important role in the starvation-stress response (SSR) of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 98:51-63

Kenyon WJ, Nicholson KL, Guillaume E, Pallen MJ, Spector MP (2007) SigmaS-Dependent carbon-starvation induction of pbpG (PBP 7) is required for the starvation-stress response in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Microbiology 153:2148-2158 [View Publication (PDF)]

Kenyon WJ, Thomas SM, Johnson E, Pallen MJ, Spector MP (2005) Shifts from glucose to certain secondary carbon-sources result in activation of the extracytoplasmic sigma factor SigmaE in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Microbiology 151:2373-2383

Kenyon WJ, Esch SW, Buller CS (2005) The curdlan-type exopolysaccharide produced by Cellulomonas flavigena KU forms part of an extracellular glycocalyx involved in cellulose degradation. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 87:143-148 [View Publication (PDF)]

Humphreys S, Rowley G, Stevenson A, Kenyon WJ, Spector MP, Roberts M (2003) Role of periplasmic peptidylprolyl isomerases in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium virulence. Infection and Immunity 71:5386-5388

Kenyon WJ, Buller CS (2002) Structural analysis of the curdlan-like exopolysaccharide produced by Cellulomonas flavigena KU. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology 29:200-203 [View Publication (PDF)]

Kenyon WJ, Sayers DG, Humphreys S, Roberts M, Spector MP (2002) The starvation-stress response of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium requires SigmaE-, but not CpxR-regulated extracytoplasmic functions. Microbiology 148:113-122

Wang X, Kenyon WJ, Li QX, Mullberg J, Hutt-Fletcher LM (1998) Epstein-barr virus uses different complexes of glycoproteins gH and gL to infect B lymphocytes and epithelial cells. Journal of Virology 72:5552-5558

Kenyon WJ (1996) Structure and function of a capsular polysaccharide from Cellulomonas flavigena strain KU. Ph.D. dissertation. Department of Microbiology, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Other Information

Link to information about Microbiology Certificate:

https://www.westga.edu/academics/art-culture-science/math-sciences-technology/biology/program_details.php?program_id=482