Microbial biochemistry - understanding the known, discovering the unknown
Microorganisms impact all ecosystems through their astounding metabolic diversity.
Our overarching goal is to uncover and characterize microbial biochemistry that underlies host-microbe interactions and environmental adaptation.
Genome sequencing has revealed the vast diversity of microbes. This diversity translates to a wealth of metabolic potential that is unexplored. We are studying human-associated microbiomes, pathogens, and ‘uncultivated’ organisms to reveal new biochemistry with important roles in human and environmental health.
Only a small fraction of microbial chemistry is known.
Our inability to infer function from microbial genomes limits our understanding of metabolism in complex microbial communities, such as the human gut microbiota. Our group specializes in connecting genes and enzymes with microbial metabolism. Beyond individual pathways, we are developing high-throughput approaches to accelerate functional genomics.
Functional annotation remains a challenge.
Billions of years of evolution has created a versatile toolbox of microbial enzymes. Mechanistic understanding of enzymatic catalysis advances our ability to harness their biosynthetic, biotechnological, and biomedical potential. We focus on redox active enzymes that use radical-based and metal-dependent mechanisms to catalyze challenging chemical reactions.
Enzymes offer solutions to synthetic, technological, and biomedical problems.
Our discoveries will illuminate the influence of microbes on the natural world and will lead to advances in the fields of chemistry, synthetic and environmental biology, and medicine.
Connecting chemistry and biology through interdisciplinary science.
Our research spans the fields of microbiology, enzymology, analytical chemistry, biophysical chemistry, bioinformatics, and more! We integrate methods and approaches from these fields to uncover new chemistry and understand its biological impact.
We cultivate a supportive environment for diverse scientists and microbes!
We welcome, respect, and support scientists of all identities, abilities, and backgrounds. We learn from each other and help each other grow!