Research
My lab is interested in understanding the principles that govern bacterial morphology, a readily observable facet of microbial cell biology. One of the major unsolved questions in microbiology is how bacteria generate specific shapes. Bacteria exhibit an amazing diversity of shapes and sizes that are precisely reproduced at every generation, indicating that morphology plays an important role in the life of these bacteria. Impressive progress has been made in the past few years in understanding the mechanism of cell shape determination in a few model bacterial systems, including the discovery that bacteria possess a cytoskeleton, but we are still very far having a comprehensive understanding of how bacterial morphologies are generated. My lab takes advantage of recent technical advances in microscopy, construction of fluorescent fusion proteins, and high throughput sequencing, to make strides in understanding how bacteria generate specific morphologies.
Awards & Honors
Divisional Council, Division of Biological Sciences (2012-2014)
Graduate Education Committee, Division of Biological Sciences (2012 - 2013)
Advisory Board Member for Framing Your Future: A Science Career Conference, University of Missouri (2012 - 2013)
Reviewer, PLoS ONE (2011 – present)
Reviewer, Journal of Bacteriology (2009 – present)
Member, Committee for Postdoctoral Affairs, Indiana University (2008-2009)
Student/Post-doc Committee Member, Microbial Biochemistry Faculty Search, Indiana University (2008)
Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship (AI072992) (2007 – 2010)
University of Georgia Outstanding Graduate Research in Life Sciences Award (2006)
American Society for Microbiology Graduate Student Travel Grant (2005)
Judge in Medicine and Health, Georgia State Science and Engineering Fair (2005)
University of Georgia Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (2004)
Joy Williams Porter Graduate Fellowship Recipient (for outstanding research, teaching, and service) (2003)
UGA Microbiology Graduate Student Association Team Member, ACS Relay for Life (2002-2005)
Abstract Reviewer, CURO (Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities) (2002-2005)
Symposium Convener, CURO (2003-2005)
ARCS (Acheivement Rewards for College Scientists) Fellowship Recipient (2002 – 2005)
President, UGA Microbiology Graduate Student Association (2002-2003)
American Society for Microbiology Graduate Student Travel Grant (2002)
Faculty Liaison, UGA Microbiology Graduate Student Association (2001-2002)
University of Georgia Presidential Fellow (one of twelve in all disciplines) (2000 – 2005)
Member, American Society for Microbiology (2000-present)
