Special to the HT
MEEKER | Michael Overton grew up with roots in this community before setting out to find his path in the world — a path that, like the best scientific discoveries, turned out to be anything but a straight line.
After graduating high school in 2000, Mike headed to Colorado State University to study biochemistry. When that chapter didn’t go as planned, Mike spent several years adrift, working odd jobs and searching for direction. Going to work for his father, Steve Overton, at his construction company in Arizona proved to be the reset he needed — steady work that helped him find his footing and set him on a new course. It was there that he met his future wife, Nada Nabulsi. The two eventually settled in Southern California, and Mike decided to try school again.
He started at a community college, then transferred to Cal Poly Pomona, earning his B.S. in Biological Sciences in 2016 and his M.S. in Environmental Biology in 2019. His master’s research involved genetically characterizing a newly discovered virus found in the hot springs of Yellowstone. Along the way, he received a National Science Foundation training grant.
From Cal Poly Pomona, Mike was accepted into the PhD program at UC San Diego. There he conducted research in genetics and evolutionary biology, supported by a National Institutes of Health training grant. He earned his Ph.D. in Biology in 2025, with a dissertation exploring the genetic mechanisms that drive chromosomal instability in yeast, research with implications for understanding cancer and disease.
Throughout his academic career, Mike has been as dedicated to teaching as to discovery. Over nearly a decade, he has guided hundreds of students through biology courses, designed new lab curricula, and mentored young researchers from underrepresented backgrounds. He has published research in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.
Today, Mike is a Lecturer at UC San Diego teaching Molecular Biology, Biostatistics, Bio Lab Techniques, and Ecology. His mother, Jeni Morlan, and stepfather, Dave Morlan, along with his father, Steve Overton, are proud to have played a part in his remarkable journey.
Mike lives in Oceanside, California, with his wife Nada and their son, Miles.
