Michelle Hulin

Michelle Hulin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU), affiliated with the Molecular Plant Sciences Program and Genetics & Genome Sciences Program. Her research focuses on bacterial evolution, particularly the role of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like plasmids and prophages in pathogenicity, and how bacterial immunity mechanisms constrain their movement.

• Education: BSc in Biological Sciences at University of Bath (UK), PhD in Biological Sciences at University of Reading (UK)
• Postdoctoral training at National Institute of Agricultural Botany (UK) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (UK)

Her work integrates field ecology and lab-based functional studies to explore how MGEs influence virulence gene evolution in crop pathogens like Pseudomonas syringae. She employs advanced technologies such as single-cell techniques, metagenomics, and lineage-tracking to address questions about bacterial host range, gene regulation, and disease emergence.

Research trends include: (1) Pseudomonas syringae pathogenesis, (2) Horizontal gene transfer dynamics, (3) Plant NAD metabolism manipulation by effectors, (4) Immune receptor activation mechanisms, and (5) Comparative genomics of host specialization. Her publications span plant pathology, bacterial evolution, and molecular diagnostics.

She has no listed scientific awards in the provided text. Her research program aims to improve pathogen tracking, disease prediction, and management strategies through fundamental insights into bacterial evolution and MGE biology.