Current research is redefining what we think of as a typical animal or human. An animal is really one large organism and a lot of little ones that include viruses, bacteria, and protists. And evolutionary speaking, they are inseparable : hosts and their microbes (and their genes) are intertwined over long periods of evolutionary history. These types of coevolutionary patterns aren't surprising given the symbiotic nature of their relationship. For example, animals provide stable nutrient-rich habitats for microbes, while microbes provide a variety of functions for the animal, affecting the host's physiology, nutrition, immune function, reproduction, and even behavior. Yet, the specific assemblages of microbes we see are extremely diverse across hosts and can by dynamic over time in a given host.
THE HUMAN MICROBIOME
My research looks into how microbial composition is affected by early life events such as birth mode, and subsequently, how interactions with the surrounding environment continue to shape the human microbiome. Moreover, in collaboration with Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez Bello at NYU, I am comparing the microbiomes of different populations of people to understand how the human microbiome may change under modern influences.
THE VERTEBRATE MICROBIOME
I'm interested in understanding the factors that influence the evolution of host-microbe interactions and why certain animals harbor the microbial assemblages they do. My research also investigates the potential role of microbes in convergent evolution, where unrelated animals independently evolve strikingly similar traits. Some classic examples of convergence include the evolution of flight and adaptations to very specific diets. Do the symbiotic microbes living within the animal play essential roles in the evolution of these types of adaptations? Compared to their animal hosts, microbes have a much more rapid rate of evolution and can rapidly acquire new functions by picking up genes through lateral gene transfer. Consequently, the microbiome can be a powerful source of adaptation for the host. My research utilizes collaborations with researchers around the world and next-generation sequencing to investigate the role of the microbiome for a number of diet-related convergent traits.
THE HUMAN MICROBIOME
My research looks into how microbial composition is affected by early life events such as birth mode, and subsequently, how interactions with the surrounding environment continue to shape the human microbiome. Moreover, in collaboration with Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez Bello at NYU, I am comparing the microbiomes of different populations of people to understand how the human microbiome may change under modern influences.
THE VERTEBRATE MICROBIOME
I'm interested in understanding the factors that influence the evolution of host-microbe interactions and why certain animals harbor the microbial assemblages they do. My research also investigates the potential role of microbes in convergent evolution, where unrelated animals independently evolve strikingly similar traits. Some classic examples of convergence include the evolution of flight and adaptations to very specific diets. Do the symbiotic microbes living within the animal play essential roles in the evolution of these types of adaptations? Compared to their animal hosts, microbes have a much more rapid rate of evolution and can rapidly acquire new functions by picking up genes through lateral gene transfer. Consequently, the microbiome can be a powerful source of adaptation for the host. My research utilizes collaborations with researchers around the world and next-generation sequencing to investigate the role of the microbiome for a number of diet-related convergent traits.
