Nic Vega

Nic Vega is Assistant Professor of Biology at Emory University, leading research on microbial ecology using C. elegans as a model host system. Her lab combines experimental microcosms with mathematical modeling to study microbiome assembly, heterogeneity, and stress responses.

Current projects examine ecological drift during symbiont colonization, phage-bacteria dynamics in gut communities, and antibiotic resistance evolution. NSF CAREER funding supports work on alternate microbiome states and resilience mechanisms.

Teaching includes courses on experimental design and microbial dynamics. Student theses explore nutrient supply in shelf seas and microbial community interactions.