The Microbial Ecophysiology Lab focuses on understanding the regulation of cellular processes in methanogenic archaea and their actual 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!
Lab members (Spring 2024)
Upcoming MCB Events
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Apr
19
Special Seminar with Dr. Jinghui Zhang 10:30am
Special Seminar with Dr. Jinghui Zhang
Friday, April 19th, 2024
10:30 AM - 11:30 PM
BPB 201
Dr. Jinghui Zang
St. Jude Endowed Chair in Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
UConn ’94Co-sponsored by Dept. Molecular and Cell Biology, The Institute for Systems Genomics, and the School of Computing
Genomic Variants in Pediatric Cancer: Driver Discovery, Clinical Testing and Computational Analysis
Jinghui Zhang’s research focuses on developing and applying genomic-based approaches for improving the treatment and outcome of pediatric cancer. Her research on innovative computational methods development has greatly advanced discovery, interpretation, and visualization of somatic and germline variants. She has built a new Computational Biology Department at St Jude by recruiting and mentoring multi-disciplinary computational experts to establish innovative research programs focusing on pediatric cancer. An advocate for genomic data sharing, Zhang initiated the development of St. Jude Cloud, the world’s largest pediatric cancer data sharing platform. She received a PhD in Genetics from the University of Connecticut in 1994 for research done with the late Claire M. Berg (MCB). She continued work at the NCBI for many years, worked in industry (Glaxo Wellcome, Celera Genomics) and at the National Cancer Institute. Since 2010 she has been at the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. She is an elected fellow of the International Society for Computational Biology.
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Apr
23
MCB Seminar Series: Dr. Aoife Heaslip, Tenure Talk 3:30pm
MCB Seminar Series: Dr. Aoife Heaslip, Tenure Talk
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
03:30 PM
BPB 131
Dr. Aoife Heaslip, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut
Host: Carol Teschke
Intracellular cargo transport in Toxoplasma gondii
The human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) causes life-threatening disease in immunocompromised individuals and when infection occurs in utero. Survival and disease pathogenesis are dependent on host cell invasion, intracellular replication and egress, which results in destruction of the infected cells. In order to complete this lytic cycle, Toxoplasma must traffic proteins to three distinct secretory organelles, the micronemes, rhoptries and dense granules. In this talk I will present our recent work characterizing how actin and an unconventional myosin motor, MyoF regulate protein trafficking and vesicle transport in Toxoplasma.
Bio: Aoife Heaslip received her bachelor’s degree from University College Dublin and PhD degree from the University of Vermont under the mentorship of Dr. Gary Ward. Aoife then moved to Indiana University and worked as a postdoctoral associate with Dr. Ke Hu. She then returned to Vermont to complete a second postdoc with Dr. David Warshaw, an expert in myosin biophysics. I joined the MCB department as an assistant professor in 2017.
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Apr
24
MCB Dissertation Defense: Lorraine Burdick 10:00am
MCB Dissertation Defense: Lorraine Burdick
Wednesday, April 24th, 2024
10:00 AM
BPB 131
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
University of Connecticut
Announces the
Oral Dissertation Defense for the Doctoral Degree
Lorraine Burdick
B.S. University of Connecticut
Investigating the Developmental Fate of Fibro-Adipogenic Progenitors in Mouse Models of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
10:00 AM
BPB 131
Webex Link: https://uconn-cmr.webex.com/meet/lna09001
Major Advisor: David Goldhamer
Associate Advisor: Charles Giardina
Associate Advisor: Leighton Core
Examiner: Lawrence Silbart
Examiner: Caroline Dealy
Link to Current Draft of Dissertation
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11Cb4h7YolwT3UbVc4Um7_yzmNh9aMCT0zxS7b0y74Qc/edit?usp=sharing
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Apr
26
MCB Research in Progress: Samuelson and McDermott 12:20pm
MCB Research in Progress: Samuelson and McDermott
Friday, April 26th, 2024
12:20 PM
Biology/Physics Building
Kaylah Samuelson, Hanlon Lab
Tyler McDermott, Mellone LabContact Information:
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Apr
26
All Biology Undergraduate Symposium 1:30pm
All Biology Undergraduate Symposium
Friday, April 26th, 2024
01:30 PM - 04:30 PM
TLS 111
All Biology Undergraduate Symposium
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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 |