Department of Biology

Research Strengths

Microbial Cell Biology and Environmental Responses

We use powerful and diverse bacterial model systems to study fundamental biological processes.

We attach fluorophores to novel bacterial proteins and use microscopy to dissect protein localization and molecular function.  Our work reveals the subcellular localization that lies at the heart of bacterial development, motility, and cell division.

We use biochemistry and molecular biology to study gene regulation in response to environmental change.  Our work defines the molecular mechanisms of light color perception, intercellular communication, biofilm formation, and the complex responses to scarce nutrients like iron and sulfur.

We use classical forward genetics to explore the origins of mutation and the social pressures that govern bacterial behavior.  Our work illuminates the evolutionary principles that shape microbial genomes and the complex interactions that lead to multicellularity.