Molecular Biology is a fundamental area of investigative research in Biology that employs new technologies and experimental approaches to examine fundamental processes in all living organisms. In the course of these investigations, we use wide variety of model organisms, including mice, guinea pigs, human tissue cell cultures, the nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans, the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, model bacteria and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The research is of immediate relevance to human health in many areas including cancer, inherited genetic diseases and disease resistance, DNA repair, and neurosystem development and function. We welcome strong applicants as undergraduate researchers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
We study gene regulation and physiological adaptation in E. coli and other bacteria to better understand how bacteria cause disease and persist in the environment. We also have many collaborative projects with biochemists, engineers, industry and government agencies to develop new tools for monitoring water quality and understanding waste treatment processes from a microbiological perspective. We are using new DNA sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis tools to track microorganisms, characterize composition of complex microbial communities and conduct comprehensive studies of gene expression.
Bioinformatics & Functional Genomics; Genetics & Molecular Biology
