Microorganisms are the most abundant life form on Earth in terms of biomass and the most diverse on the Tree of Life. They play key roles in the Earth’s geochemical cycles and atmosphere (they provided the Earth with an oxygen-rich atmosphere) and the health of its inhabitants.
Microbiology labs in the CMDB program investigate the structure-function basis of symbiosis between the gut microbiome and host, the evolution of host-microbe associations and the role of microbes in animal development and function, host-pathogen interactions, the molecular mechanisms of stress response in extremophiles, and the structural mechanisms and cell biology of microbes. Labs use several model systems and various techniques, including biochemistry, genetics, bioinformatics, imaging, mathematical modeling, cryo-electron microscopy, and cryo-electron tomography.
Microbiology faculty
Our faculty members have a wide range of research specialties. Learn about their work and how you can get connected with our microbiology faculty.
Our research
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A conserved bacterial genetic basis for commensal-host specificity
Animals selectively acquire specific symbiotic gut bacteria from their environments. We used live imaging of individual symbiotic bacterial cells colonizing the gut of living Drosophila melanogaster to show that they recognize a distinct physical niche in the gut using an adhesion system that we find is widely conserved.
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Microbiome-derived acidity protects against microbial invasion in Drosophila
Barron et al. demonstrate that interactions between members of the Drosophila microbiome influence the pH of the fly environment. Acidification by the microbiome, primarily through production of lactic acid by bacteria, protects the host from invasive microbes.
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Transposon-sequencing (Tn-seq) of the Candida glabrata reference strain CBS138 reveals epigenetic plasticity, structural variation, and intrinsic mechanisms of resistance to micafungin
Candida glabrata is an opportunistic pathogen that contributes to mucosal and systemic yeast infections. Here we use Tn-seq technology to investigate how this yeast defends against one of our best classes of antifungals. Surprisingly, we find Pdr1 promotes resistance to micafungin in addition to its well-known effect on fluconazole resistance. Drugging of Pdr1 could improve…
Student Profiles
