Bacteria are an ancient form of life that occupies almost every conceivable niche, from pathogenesis to commensal existence with an animal host to primary production in oceans and lake. Despite their apparent simplicity, bacteria possess sophisticated biochemical networks that dynamically store information about the size and status of the cell and conditions in the external environment. These biochemical systems allow precise decision making that allow microbes to thrive in challenging conditions. Our lab is interested in the design principles of these reaction networks. We use a multidisciplinary approach: biochemical reconstitution of the underlying interactions, single cell microscopy to study function, and mathematical modeling to rebuild systems in silico. A major focus area is bacterial circadian rhythms, which allow single cells to predict the time of day.
Noncanonical Peloruside A Biosynthesis by an Uncultivated Verrucomicrobiota Symbiont.
Noncanonical Peloruside A Biosynthesis by an Uncultivated Verrucomicrobiota Symbiont. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2026 Sep 03; e2011872.
PMID: 42690073
An underlying bistability sets amplitude and explains temperature compensation in the cyanobacterial circadian clock.
An underlying bistability sets amplitude and explains temperature compensation in the cyanobacterial circadian clock. bioRxiv. 2026 May 05.
PMID: 42146552
The Phenotypic Landscape of a Circadian Clock.
The Phenotypic Landscape of a Circadian Clock. bioRxiv. 2026 Apr 27.
PMID: 42094528
Rhythmic protein condensation in the circadian regulation of glycogen metabolism.
Rhythmic protein condensation in the circadian regulation of glycogen metabolism. iScience. 2026 May 15; 29(5):115605.
PMID: 42063545
The free-running property of circadian clocks is needed to tolerate changing photoperiods.
The free-running property of circadian clocks is needed to tolerate changing photoperiods. Curr Biol. 2026 Mar 23; 36(6):1548-1555.e5.
PMID: 41747720
Rigidity Governs Entrainment of Bacteria Cells in Biopolymer Scaffolds.
Rigidity Governs Entrainment of Bacteria Cells in Biopolymer Scaffolds. ACS Biomater Sci Eng. 2025 Nov 10; 11(11):6740-6750.
PMID: 41053963
Active and passive crosslinking of cytoskeleton scaffolds tune the effects of cell inclusions on composite structure.
Active and passive crosslinking of cytoskeleton scaffolds tune the effects of cell inclusions on composite structure. Soft Matter. 2025 Jun 19; 21(24):4792-4806.
PMID: 40289744
Programming scheduled self-assembly of circadian materials.
Programming scheduled self-assembly of circadian materials. Nat Commun. 2025 01 02; 16(1):176.
PMID: 39747896
Two KaiABC systems control circadian oscillations in one cyanobacterium.
Two KaiABC systems control circadian oscillations in one cyanobacterium. Nat Commun. 2024 09 03; 15(1):7674.
PMID: 39227593
Timed material self-assembly controlled by circadian clock proteins.
Timed material self-assembly controlled by circadian clock proteins. ArXiv. 2024 Mar 21.
PMID: 36911279
Pew Scholar
2014 - 2018