Research Area: Microbiota and Microbiomes

Our research explores the impact of host behavior and nutritional needs on the evolution of intestinal symbionts. Current projects include the study of signals that coordinate the physiology and development of intestinal bacteria with the feeding activity of their host. We are also interested in[...]

The August lab is interested in infection-based and environment signals that trigger inflammation. We are particularly interested in signals regulated by the Tec family kinases, and how they regulate activation of cells such as mast cells and T cells to drive their differentiation and production[...]

Our research centers on crop diseases caused by bacteria in the genus Xanthomonas, focusing on TAL effector proteins injected by the bacteria to manipulate expression of specific host genes important for disease development. Our lab also studies plant disease resistance mechanisms triggered by TAL effectors[...]

I study how microbes in the human microbiome are transmitted among individuals, using a wide range of approached including shotgun metagenomics of microbiome communities, culture-based methods, and single-cell analyses. Another main focus is horizontal transmission of genes between members of the microbiome, specifically focusing on[...]

The Buchon lab focuses on the impact of pathogens and the microbiota on body homeostasis. We use systemic infection as a model for septicemia, and the gut response to infection as a model for mucosal immunity. Genomic and genetic approaches allow us to characterize new[...]

My research program explores soil microbiome dynamics and their impacts on ecosystem health, the plants we grow, the water we drink, and the air we breath. We use genomic approaches to examine the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that regulate microbial diversity and its impact on[...]

Numerous studies demonstrate that vector-borne pathogens influence host characteristics, resulting in altered host-vector interactions and enhanced transmission. We seek to determine the molecular mechanisms that underlie this phenomenon and use this knowledge to develop innovative control strategies using genetic and biochemical approaches. Current focuses are[...]

Our research focuses primarily on three areas: We develop activity-based probes to understand the metabolic activity catalyzed by the gut microbiome during different disease states. We also characterize the small-molecule metabolites produced by the gut microbiota that regulate inflammation during inflammatory diseases and host defense[...]

We study the molecular evolution and population genetics of the immune system in Drosophila and other insects, specifically focusing on comparative genomics and transcriptional regulation of the immune response. We also explore host genetic variation in microbiome composition and function in a large human twin study and[...]

Shaun’s research focuses on the development of sequencing technologies to better elucidate host-virus interactions using enteric viruses (rotaviruses and mammalian orthroreoviruses). By augmenting spatial transcriptomic sequencing platforms, he aims to understand how the host reacts to viral infections across space and time and how these[...]