Sarah Douglas

Sarah Douglas is a faculty member at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, affiliated with the Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology and microbial interactions within synthetic consortia, particularly examining genetic mutations and their consequences on cooperation and community dynamics.

Her work centers on understanding how parallel mutations in bacterial species like Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli lead to phenotypic diversity despite genetic similarities. Key studies involve methionine excretion in Salmonella and its role in sustaining cross-species growth dependencies.

Recent publications highlight her contributions to synthetic biology, including experimental frameworks for studying epistatic interactions and metabolic co-dependencies in laboratory-evolved microbial communities. These works provide insights into the predictability of evolution and the trade-offs between individual and group-level benefits in consortia.