Tag: Microbiota and Microbiomes

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[...]

Our research is directed at characterizing structures and biological function of biogenic small molecules (BSMs) that regulate development and immune responses in plants and animals and serve important functions with associated microbiota. Using comparative metabolomic approaches we have engaged in a comprehensive effort to characterize[...]

My program is focused on drug discovery and the pathogenesis of infectious human disease. We work closely with the Gates Foundation and the California Institute for Biomedical Research to run high-throughput drug screening on Mycobacterium tuberculosis within the context of the host. We also have human subjects[...]

We study the evolution of vertebrate gut microbes. Our work focuses on the co-evolutionary histories of animals and their microbiota using a combination of omics approaches, gnotobiotic experiments, and field studies. Students will gain experience in anaerobic bacterial culturing, genome sequencing workflows, and comparative genomics bioinformatics[...]

We study how pathogens influence pollinator health. Students collect data on plant-pollinator visitation networks, pathogen prevalence in bees and at flowers, pathogen replication and impacts on host survival, or conduct manipulative experiments to understand transmission parameters. The overall goal of our work is to improve[...]