About
Isabelle Taylor is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry within the School of Arts & Sciences at the College of William & Mary. Her research and teaching focus on biochemistry, organic chemistry, and chemical biology, with a strong emphasis on antimicrobial drug discovery.
Research Interests: Prof. Taylor's work centers on quorum sensing—the cell-to-cell communication system in bacteria—particularly in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. She investigates the molecular role of the PqsE enzyme, which is critical for pathogenic behavior, using integrated chemical and genetic approaches to uncover new antibiotic strategies. Her lab aims to discover quorum sensing inhibitors that could serve as novel therapeutics against antibiotic-resistant infections.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of California, San Francisco
- Postdoctoral Research in Molecular Biology, Princeton University
Scientific Awards:
Advising and Grants: Research in the Taylor Lab offers opportunities for student involvement in interdisciplinary projects combining chemistry and biology. Although specific grants and advisees are not listed, her lab actively engages in cutting-edge research targeting bacterial communication pathways.
Labs and Teams: The Taylor Lab at William & Mary is dedicated to pioneering new antibiotic strategies by disrupting quorum sensing in P. aeruginosa. The team employs chemical synthesis, molecular biology, and microbial genetics to explore therapeutic interventions.
