Turner began his graduate studies in the program of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the
University of California, Irvine in 1989, working with
Richard E. Lenski as his PhD advisor. When Lenski’s research group transferred to
Michigan State University in 1991, Turner moved with the group and completed his PhD in Zoology (with a certificate from the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB) Program) there in 1995. Following his graduate studies, Turner completed postdoctoral fellowships at the
University of Maryland, College Park, the
University of Valencia, and the
National Institutes of Health. Turner has co-authored over 150 publications that have together been cited over 6,000 times. Although Turner is known for his foundational work in viral evolution, he has recently begun to apply his insights towards advancing the development of
phage therapy against
antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. == Awards and recognition ==