Benjamin D Ross

Benjamin D Ross, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in both the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology and Orthopaedics at the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College. He holds affiliations with the Personalized Therapies for Cystic Fibrosis Cluster and participates in programs such as the Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Programs and Molecular Pathogenesis Program. His research focuses on understanding how interbacterial interactions within the gut microbiota influence human health, particularly targeting the role of the Bacteroidales and their type VI secretion systems (T6SS) in microbial community dynamics. He also investigates cystic fibrosis-associated microbiota depletion to develop therapeutic strategies.

Education:

• BA in Biochemistry, Lewis & Clark College
• PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington
• Postdoctoral training in Microbiology at University of Washington under Dr. Joseph Mougous

Research Interests:

Dr. Ross combines bacterial genetics, biochemistry, and mouse models to study microbial ecology. His lab explores how T6SS-mediated bacterial competition shapes gut microbiota composition and how these communities are disrupted in cystic fibrosis. Key areas include evolutionary mechanisms of microbial defense, metagenomic analysis of microbial interactions, and translational strategies to restore beneficial gut bacteria in disease contexts.

Labs/Teams:

Runs the Ben Ross Lab (www.benrosslab.com), focusing on microbial ecology and cystic fibrosis research.