The Microbial Ecophysiology Lab focuses on understanding the regulation of cellular processes in methane-producing microbes from the Domain Archaea (methanogens or methanogenic archaea) and their role in free-living environments and host-associated microbiomes. Why? Because currently archaea diversity is analyzed principally at the (meta)-genomic level, providing valuable information on their metabolic and ecological potential; however, a comprehensive understanding of their physiology and regulation is necessary.
Our fantastic team uses omics analysis combined with detailed functional characterization of proteins, cofactors, and metabolites to further our understanding of the regulation of cellular processes and ultrastructure in archaea, as well as their ability to interact with other organisms and survive under stress conditions.
Through this comprehensive approach, our team works on topics with ecological, biomedical, biotechnological and astrobiological applications (e.g., production of unusual proteins and metabolites, drug resistance and detoxification, and mitigation of global warming through carbon sequestration), as well as strategies of microbial isolation, Metabolic Pathway Engineering, Metabolic Modeling and Protein Directed Evolution.
Have you noticed that some labs generate a lot of waste that is not recyclable? Our goal is to run an eco-friendly lab, where all members use strategies to reduce waste, reuse materials and limit the use of plastics, dyes and non-recyclable material (when possible). This strategy will help us reduce costs and have less negative impact on the environment.
Interested in joining the lab or collaborating with us? Please contact us!
We do NOT have direct admission to our graduate programs. All prospective students must apply by following this admissions process.
Read and cite our research! See our manuscripts on Google Scholar and ResearchGate.
The fantastic Microbial Ecophysiology Lab
We are people who do scientific research, and we actively work to include diverse perspectives in our team.
Upcoming MCB Events
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Oct
31
MCB Cell and Developmental Biology Journal Club 12:30pm
MCB Cell and Developmental Biology Journal Club
Thursday, October 31st, 2024
12:30 PM - 01:30 PM
TLS 263
This week in Cell and Developmental Biology Journal Club, Rosie Mirabella will lead a discussion of “STING directly recruits WIPI2 for autophagosome formation during STING-induced autophagy” by Wan et al., 2023.
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Nov
1
CANCELED: MCB Research in Progress: Dan Phillips 12:20pm
CANCELED: MCB Research in Progress: Dan Phillips
Friday, November 1st, 2024
12:20 PM
BPB 130
Dan Phillips
Gogarten LabThe Cyanobacterial dnaX intein
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Nov
1
MCB Faculty Meeting 1:30pm
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Nov
4
MCB Micro Journal Club 4:00pm
MCB Micro Journal Club
Monday, November 4th, 2024
04:00 PM
BPB 401
Sønderholm, M., Kragh, K. N., Koren, K., Jakobsen, T. H., Darch, S. E., Alhede, M., Jensen, P. Ø., Whiteley, M., Kühl, M., & Bjarnsholt, T. (2017). Pseudomonas aeruginosa Aggregate Formation in an Alginate Bead Model System Exhibits In Vivo-Like Characteristics. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83(9), e00113-17. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00113-17
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Nov
5
MCB Seminar Series: Emma Watson 3:30pm
MCB Seminar Series: Emma Watson
Tuesday, November 5th, 2024
03:30 PM
BPB 131
Emma Watson
Assistant Professor, Department of Systems Biology
University of Massachusetts, Chan Medical School
Host: Andrei AlexandrescuChromosomal structure and function in cancer
Over 90% of cancer genomes have abnormal chromosomal composition, deviating (often significantly) from the normal 46 chromosomes in healthy cells. Chromosomes can be gained, lost, broken, and fused together during tumor genome evolution, with genomes ultimately converging on a set of features that are enriched in a tumor type-specific manner, for instance, +1q and +8q in breast cancer. We utilize in vitro approaches to model karyotype evolution in cancer and build tumor genomes in the lab from healthy diploid genomes. We use these models to uncover structural facilitators and functional drivers of these common chromosomal abnormalities in cancer.
About Dr. Watson:
Dr. Emma V. Watson obtained her B.S. in Biophysics from UConn, studying protein folding with Dr. Andrei Alexandrescu, and received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from UMass Chan Medical School studying metabolic gene network regulation with Dr. A. J. Marian Walhout. For her thesis work, Dr. Watson received an American Heart Association fellowship and the Harold M. Weintraub Award. Dr. Watson was a Damon Runyon Postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Stephen J. Elledge’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where she uncovered oncogenic roles of chromosomal abnormalities in cancer. Dr. Watson opened her lab at UMass Chan Medical School in 2022 where she focuses on cancer genome structure and function.Publications:
Chromosome evolution screens recapitulate tissue-specific tumor aneuploidy patterns
Contact
Phone: | (860) 486-8960 |
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E-mail: | geo_santiagom@uconn.edu |
Address: | 91 N. Eagleville Rd Unit 3125 Storrs, CT 06269-3125 |
More: | Office: TLS 286 |