Mechanisms of Animal-Microbe Symbiosis

I am driven to understand how beneficial partnerships between animals and bacteria are formed, maintained, and evolve on a molecular and cellular level. 

My future research group will use naturally simple pairs of tractable organisms, insect-killing nematodes and their bacterial symbionts, to address fundamental questions in animal-microbe symbiosis. Starting with:

1. What host and symbiont factors are required for recognition and colonization?

2. What host and symbiont factors are required for regulated persistence within a host?

3. What role does the broader microbiome play in symbiosis and virulence?

The foundational knowledge we gain about these invisible partnerships will help humanity address pivotal challenges related to climate change, agriculture, and human health.