The flexible portion of a bacterium’s genome—DNA that is exchanged with other bacteria through the process of horizontal gene transfer—allows it to rapidly adapt to changing environmental conditions by incorporating novel functions. These auxiliary genes can include those that confer resistance to antibiotics, enzymes involved carbohydrate degradation, mercury-resistance or virulence genes, and catabolic genes useful … Continued
I lead a laboratory studying fundamental interactions between the microbiome, brain and behavior, and their applications to neurological disorders. My previous work on neuroimmune contributions to neurodevelopment and behavior led to the finding that postnatal modification of the microbiota improves gastrointestinal and behavioral symptoms in mouse models of genetic and environmental risk factors for autism. … Continued
The transition to multicellularity was transformational for life on Earth, but this evolutionary leap remains poorly understood. By evolving novel multicellular organisms in the lab from single-celled ancestors, I explore the origin of key multicellular innovations, such as cellular division of labor and multicellular development.
Microbes rarely live alone. In the ocean, the soil, and the human body, microbes live within complex, multi-species communities. Yet, due to their complexity, it is often extremely difficult to understand how these communities work. To address this challenge, our lab uses simplified microbial communities as model systems. Our model system of choice is cheese. … Continued
Low temperature (hypothermia) and reduced oxygen (hypoxia) pervasively affect cellular metabolism and physiology, decelerate organismic biological time and trigger instinctive animal behaviors. Many species in nature have evolved unique traits to respond and adapt to severe hypothermia/hyperthermia/hypoxia. Our research uses 1) genetically tractable C. elegans and 2) Mangrove Killifish, the only known self-fertilizing vertebrate with … Continued
My lab studies microbial metabolisms and their influence on biogeochemical cycling using an interdisciplinary approach. We apply the knowledge we gain to generate new ways of addressing issues such as the energy crisis, pollution, biofouling and sustainability.
Why do humans have short fingers and long arm bones, and how did the elongated fingers of bats evolve to support powered flight? My laboratory seeks the answers to these profoundly important questions about the form and function of limbs by studying the closest relative of the laboratory mouse with the most unique limb skeleton, … Continued
Evolution is thought to be driven by spontaneous genetic variants that are enriched during times of stress. However, selection operates on phenotypes rather than genotypes. Thus, any means of generating heritable phenotypic diversity can fuel innovation. Our laboratory recently discovered that environmental stimuli can commonly induce self-perpetuating changes in protein conformations. Corresponding changes in protein … Continued
The discovery that eukaryotic DNA is wrapped around the histone octamer and packaged into chromatin transformed our understanding of genome organization and regulation. Yet it also created a conceptual paradox: nucleosomes are the fundamental unit of chromatin and must be sufficiently stable to compact, package, and protect the genome while still allowing enzymes to access … Continued
Evolutionary biologists have long recognized the central role that species interactions play in the origin and maintenance of biological diversity. However, the ecological conditions and the genetic mechanisms whereby interacting lineages coevolve and adapt to one other remain poorly understood. I propose to investigate the genetic bases of coadaptation in a highly specialized plant-pollinator mutualism. … Continued