Laura Cook

Laura Cook is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University. Her research focuses on understanding how Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, particularly streptococci, colonize host mucosal surfaces like the vaginal tract and nasopharynx. She employs molecular, cell culture, and animal models to investigate bacterial genetic programs, interactions with host microbiota, and pathogenesis mechanisms.

Education: Postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), followed by a PhD and a combined BS/BA from the University of Minnesota.

Research Interests: Microbiology, microbial-host interactions, bacterial genetics, biofilm formation, heme utilization, and pathogen colonization dynamics. Her lab explores how bacterial species—both commensal and pathogenic—interact within host environments to influence disease outcomes, with applications to vaccine development and infection prevention.

Publications highlight her work on streptococcal colonization mechanisms, heme transport proteins (e.g., HupZ), and the role of bacterial signaling systems (e.g., SaeRS) in pathogenesis. Recent studies emphasize vaginal and nasal tract colonization, biofilm formation, and the impact of host signals on bacterial behavior.

Labs/Teams: The Cook Lab at Binghamton University investigates host-microbe interactions using interdisciplinary approaches, bridging molecular biology, microbiology, and infectious disease research.