Tag: Microbiota and Microbiomes

The Poole Lab studies the causes and effects of human microbiome variation with the goal of manipulating microbes to improve human health. We want to know why individuals respond differently to the same dietary intervention in order to develop precision nutrition protocols for the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders. Our resources include, but are not […]

The Pawlowska Lab studies interactions between fungi and bacteria using several model systems. Potential projects involve: (1) dissecting the mechanisms of innate immunity in fungi, (2) evaluating the impact of bacteriome on phenotypic diversity of fungi, and (3) examining the role of common mycorrhizal networks in plant microbiome assembly.

The Moreau lab focuses on the symbiotic factors that drive speciation, adaptation, and evolutionary diversification.  Much of the research in the lab focuses on the potential co-evolution of ants and their gut-associated bacteria to understand the diversity and putative function of host-associated microbes.  By coupling this information with data on diet, trophic ecology, evolutionary history […]

The research in the Kessler Lab focuses on the ecology and evolution of plant chemical defenses (secondary metabolites) to pathogens and herbivores and the role of soil microbial communities to affect and be affected by plant secondary metabolism. Thus we try to understand how microbially-mediated plant-soil feedbacks influence the macroscopic interactions of plants with their […]

The Hendry lab studies the evolution and ecology of bacteria interacting with animal hosts, particularly insects. Study systems include both pathogenic interactions of bacteria with agriculturally important insects and mutualistic interactions where bacterial symbionts influence insect ecology and evolution. There are several undergraduate research opportunities in the lab using techniques in microbiology, ecological experiments, and […]

The Helmann lab investigates adaptation to stress using Bacillus subtilis as a model organism. One project focuses on the roles of alternative sigma factors and other regulators in controlling cell envelope stress responses. These studies support our ongoing work on the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. A second major research effort is directed at metal ion homeostasis. Metal regulation plays […]

The Heck lab deciphers molecular mechanisms regulating insect transmission of plant pathogens and uses this knowledge to create practical solutions that mitigate vector-borne diseases in agriculture. We use a combination of computational and wet-lab approaches to study vector-pathogen-plant interactions. Students will receive training at the intersections of computational biology, plant pathology, entomology, microbiology, genetic engineering […]

The Bogdanove lab’s research centers on the development of broad-spectrum, durable disease resistance in crop plants with a focus on diseases caused by bacteria that deploy host DNA binding proteins called TAL effectors. We also continue to be interested in the use of TAL effectors as customizable DNA targeting tools for applications such as targeted […]

The Angert lab specializes in the interplay between specific microbial populations and their animal hosts. Current research is aimed at defining these relationships and understanding how they impact host nutritional ecology and evolution. The lab group is interested in developing a comprehensive understanding of the biology of an exceptional group of bacteria called Epulopiscium spp. that inhabit […]

Macrophages are susceptible to HIV-1 infection and are resistant to virally-induced cell death. Alveolar macrophages (AM) in particular are known to be extremely long-lived and self-renewing, and have been shown to be both permissive to HIV-1 infection and persist in the face of Anti-Retroviral Therapy[...]