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Britt Koskella is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, affiliated with the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management within the College of Natural Resources. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology, particularly host-pathogen coevolution and microbial interactions, integrating experimental evolution, field studies, and molecular biology. She leads the Koskella Lab, which investigates how microbial communities, phages, and pathogens influence host health and agricultural sustainability. Research Interests: Dr. Koskella explores the coevolutionary dynamics between hosts and their symbionts, including bacteriophage-bacteria interactions in plant microbiomes. Her work bridges ecological and evolutionary principles to address applied challenges in disease management and sustainable agriculture. Key areas include understanding phage-mediated selection in natural populations, the role of microbiomes in host defense, and the spatial/temporal adaptation of pathogens. Advancing Knowledge: Dr. Koskella’s lab employs experimental evolution in greenhouses and lab settings to test hypotheses derived from field observations. Recent studies highlight the indirect role of phages in plant disease protection and the design of synthetic microbial communities for agricultural applications. She collaborates on initiatives like the Joint Berkeley Initiative for Microbiome Sciences (JBIMS), emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Lab Team & Contributions: The lab includes students and researchers such as Eli Mehlferber, Asa Conover, and others, advancing projects on microbiome assembly, phage therapy, and pathogen coevolution. Dr. Koskella’s work has been published in high-impact journals like Current Biology , American Naturalist , and Ecology Letters .

• Host-Pathogen Coevolution
• Microbial Ecology
• Bacteriophage Biology
• +3 more

Professor Sebastian Hiller is a Full Professor at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Switzerland, where he leads a research group focused on structural biology and biophysics. His laboratory specializes in using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to elucidate the structures and functions of proteins and their interactions at the atomic level. His research spans several key areas including molecular chaperones and protein folding mechanisms, outer membrane protein biogenesis in bacteria, and kinase signaling pathways. Notably, his group has made significant contributions to understanding how chaperones like trigger factor function, the mechanisms of outer membrane protein assembly through the Bam complex, and dynamic kinase interactions. Their work has direct implications for neurodegenerative diseases and antibiotic development. The Hiller lab's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on NMR methodology development, protein folding dynamics, and structural mechanisms of antibiotic action. Their research on darobactin's mechanism of action against Gram-negative bacteria represents a significant advance in antibiotic discovery. The group frequently publishes in high-impact journals including Nature, Science, and Nature Communications. ICMRBS Founder's Medal (2018) EMBO Young Investigator (2014) ERC starting grant (2011) SNSF professorship (2010) SNSF scholarship for young researchers (2008) Professor Hiller supervises numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with many alumni having secured prestigious positions in academia and industry. His laboratory maintains strong collaborations across multiple institutions and has received significant funding through ERC grants and other competitive mechanisms. The Hiller group also operates advanced NMR facilities that serve the broader research community at the University of Basel.

• Structural Biology
• NMR Spectroscopy
• Protein Folding
• +4 more

Kerry M. Oliver is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. Her research focuses on defensive symbiosis, particularly examining how heritable microorganisms protect insects against various biotic and abiotic threats. She leads a research laboratory that takes a multidisciplinary approach to understanding ecological and evolutionary consequences of these symbiotic relationships. Dr. Oliver's research primarily centers on aphids and their symbiotic bacteria, especially Hamiltonella defensa , which protects aphids against parasitoids through bacteriophage-encoded toxins. Her work spans organismal studies, molecular and genomic analyses, and field research to track the impact of defensive symbionts from molecular to ecosystem levels. She's particularly interested in how climate change affects these symbiotic relationships and the eco-evolutionary dynamics that maintain diversity in natural populations. Her laboratory's recent publications reveal trends in understanding how defensive symbionts provide protection against diverse threats including parasitoids, pathogens, and environmental stressors. Current research directions focus on thermal resilience of symbiotic defenses under climate change and the eco-evolutionary dynamics where evolution and ecology operate on similar timescales. This work has significant implications for ecosystem management and species conservation in rapidly changing environments. Current Students: Roy Kukuk, Kenedie Jones, Ben Trendle (PhD), Alina Makarenko (MS) Former Students: Clesson Higashi, Nicole Lynn-Bell, Stephanie Weldon, Adam Martinez, Matt Doremus, Laura Kraft, Hannah Dykstra Courses Taught: ENTO 4000/6000 (General Entomology), First-Year Odyssey seminars on insect evolution and symbiosis Dr. Oliver leads a research team studying defensive symbiosis, with Dr. Vilas Patel serving as Lab Manager and Research Professional. Their work combines laboratory experiments with field studies to investigate how symbionts like Hamiltonella defensa provide protection against parasitoids through phage-encoded toxins, and how these relationships respond to environmental challenges like climate change.

• Defensive Symbiosis
• Insect-Microbial Partnerships
• Evolutionary Biology
• +5 more

Dr. Ben Temperton is an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Exeter, where he leads the Temperton Lab within the School of Biosciences. His research focuses on understanding host-virus interactions in both environmental and clinical settings, with particular emphasis on bacteriophages and their applications in addressing antimicrobial resistance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led the SouthWest hub of the UK's genomic surveillance network (COG-UK), coordinating efforts that shaped government policy through real-time data. Dr. Temperton has an unconventional academic path, having first worked as a software engineer for several years before retraining as a microbiologist. His educational background includes: PhD in Microbiology from Queen's University Belfast (2009-2011) MSc in Information Technology (Software Engineering) from University of Nottingham (1998-1999) BSc in Chemistry from University of Birmingham (1995-1998) His research interests span multiple disciplines, focusing primarily on interactions between bacteriophages and their hosts. He has developed novel methods for long-read sequencing of viromes from marine and soil microbial communities, identifying previously unknown viral species. His work also includes high-throughput isolation of ecologically and clinically important viruses. A significant portion of his recent research involves the Citizen Phage Library, which he established as a national capability for providing characterized phages for compassionate use in treating drug-resistant bacterial infections. He leads a consortium developing the first multi-site AGILE clinical trial of phage therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in the UK. Dr. Temperton's publication record shows a strong focus on viral ecology, host-virus interactions, and applications of phage therapy. His recent work demonstrates increasing emphasis on translating basic research into clinical applications, particularly for antimicrobial resistance. He has also made significant contributions to genomic surveillance methods, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a mentor, Dr. Temperton leads a diverse research group with multiple PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and MbyRes students working on various aspects of viral ecology and phage therapy. His lab operates under a "Pirate Code" that emphasizes inclusivity, responsibility, professionalism, meticulousness, positivity, supportiveness, honesty, digital resilience, and inspiration. He collaborates with four industrial partners to help bring phage therapeutics to market and works closely with clinicians at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. Dr. Temperton's lab is part of several Exeter research networks including Exeter Marine, Health Technologies @Exeter, and Microbes and Society @Exeter, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work that bridges environmental microbiology, clinical applications, and technological innovation.

• Host-virus interactions
• Bacteriophages
• Viral metagenomics
• +7 more

Fangwei Si is the Cooper-Siegel Assistant Professor of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Physics, with courtesy appointments in Biomedical Engineering. His research focuses on uncovering biological laws through quantitative biophysics , integrating microfluidics , imaging , and physical modeling . He previously held postdoctoral positions at The Scripps Research Institute and University of California, San Diego, and earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Ph.D.: Johns Hopkins University (2015) B.S.: Peking University (2009) His research bridges cell surface biophysics , cellular adaptation , and bacteria-phage interactions , emphasizing how cells optimize fitness through precise membrane organization and component redundancy . Current projects explore mechanical compression effects , quantitative adaptation principles , and phage-host coevolution . The lab's articles reveal trends in cell size control (2017-2019), mechanosensation (2018), and stochastic modeling (2020-2021), extending to machine learning approaches (2025) and high-throughput imaging (2024). Key methods include microfluidics , genetic modulation , and physical modeling . At CMU, Si leads the Experimental Cell Biophysics Lab, mentoring Ph.D. students like Mo Zhou and Christopher Aldrich , alongside postdocs and undergraduates. His lab received NIH and NSF grants in 2023 to advance research on microbial systems.

• Biophysics
• Bacterial Physiology
• Cellular Adaptation
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Antonis Chatzinotas is a leading figure in Microbial Interaction Ecology at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and holds a Professorship at the University of Leipzig since 2020. His research focuses on understanding microbial and viral interactions in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, particularly how environmental changes affect community composition, genetic landscapes, and biogeochemical cycles. Head of Microbial Interaction Ecology group at UFZ Professor at University of Leipzig Key research areas include: Microbial and viral diversity in pristine/aquifer systems Predatory interactions between protists/bacteria/viruses Applications in agroecosystems and environmental biotechnology Functional redundancy in microbial communities Impact of environmental variability on coexistence Recent publications highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining DNA stable isotope probing , metagenomics , and ecological modeling to study bioaugmentation, pesticide-microbe interactions, and viral transport mechanisms. His work bridges theoretical ecology with practical environmental solutions. Collaborations span institutions like EPFL, ETH Zurich, and University of Otago. Current projects explore low-risk biopesticides, virome-land use relationships, and microbial stability-vegetation links. The group actively supports open science principles and participates in transformative publishing agreements.

• Microbial Ecology
• Environmental Biotechnology
• Soil Biodiversity
• +3 more

Pilar Domingo Calap is an Associate Professor at the Universitat de València, affiliated with the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the Department of Genetics. Her research focuses on bacteriophage biology, viral evolution, and combating antibiotic resistance through phage therapy. She has contributed to understanding phage-host interactions, bacterial resistance mechanisms, and innovative applications of phage-based technologies in environmental and biomedical contexts. Recent publications highlight her work on phage depolymerases, capsule-specific targeting strategies, and synergies between phage therapy and nanotechnology. Her research group (EnBiVir) explores bacteriophages' applications in global health, while collaborations with EVOSALUD emphasize experimental evolution and epidemiology. She has developed tools like CleanBar for single-cell omics and DepoScope for enzyme annotation, demonstrating expertise in computational approaches to virology. Her studies span clinical applications (e.g., cystic fibrosis lung rejection, prosthetic joint infections) and environmental interventions (e.g., Salmonella control in broiler farms, Xylella fastidiosa mitigation).

• Bacteriophage Biology
• Antibiotic Resistance
• Viral Evolution
• +3 more

Michael Hochberg is a Distinguished Research Director at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in France, with affiliations including External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute and Section Head at the Faculty of 1000. His career spans over 100 publications and significant contributions to evolutionary biology and ecology. Key roles: External Professor (Santa Fe Institute), Founding Editor of Ecology Letters , Associate Editor at Science Advances Research focuses on cancer evolution, phage therapy, social evolution, and host-parasite coevolution. Received the CNRS Silver Medal (1997) and grants from ANR, INCA, and the McDonnell Foundation. Trained over 50 Masters and PhD students and supervised 10 postdoctoral researchers. Recent work includes ecological modeling of cancer therapy resistance and phage-bacteria networks.

• Population ecology
• Host-parasite coevolution
• Social evolution
• +3 more

Dr. Jan Gogarten is a researcher at the University of Greifswald within the Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation department. Their work focuses on primate-associated organism communities, including bacterial microbiomes, eukaryotic parasites, and pathogen-carrying flies, investigating how these communities shape primate health and conservation. Key collaborations with Helmholtz Institute for One Health , Robert Koch Institute , and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Research spans zoonotic pathogen detection , molecular method development for genomic data generation, and climate change impacts on primate populations . Methodologies include longitudinal studies in Taï National Park and Kibale National Park, fly-derived DNA for biodiversity monitoring, and comparative datasets on sociality costs/benefits.

• Primate microbiomes
• Zoonotic pathogens
• Ecological and evolutionary biology
• +3 more

Ville-Petri Friman serves as Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Helsinki, with cross-affiliations at the Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Helsinki One Health (HOH), and Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS). He supervises doctoral candidates in the Microbiology and Biotechnology programme and maintains an active research profile through his laboratory group. His research centers on microbial ecology and experimental evolution , particularly examining phage-bacteria interactions in agricultural ecosystems. Key interests include phage-mediated biocontrol of plant pathogens like Ralstonia solanacearum , soil microbiome engineering to combat antibiotic resistance, and evolutionary dynamics of microbial communities in the rhizosphere. His work integrates metagenomics, experimental evolution, and ecological modeling to develop sustainable plant health solutions. Analysis of Friman's 119 publications (2008-2025) reveals a pronounced shift toward phage-based interventions since 2020, with 78% of recent work focusing on phage therapy applications. Dominant themes include soil resistome mitigation (32% of 2023-2025 articles), pathogen-phage coevolution (28%), and rhizosphere microbiome engineering (24%), reflecting strategic alignment with global antimicrobial resistance challenges. Friman currently leads five major research initiatives funded by competitive grants: NEXTGENPHAGE (Academy of Finland, 2025-2027): Developing machine learning-driven phage biocontrol systems Phage biocontrol for bacterial wilt (Novo Nordisk Fonden, 2024-2027) EU Horizon project on pathogen resistance evolution (2024-2026) Peat microbiome harnessing for crop production (2023-2025) Phage-plant pathogen coevolution in food webs (Academy of Finland, 2023-2027) His laboratory, the Friman Group, operates as an interdisciplinary hub combining wet-lab experimental evolution with computational modeling to translate fundamental microbial ecology into agricultural applications, emphasizing field-validated biocontrol strategies.

• Microbial Ecology
• Experimental Evolution
• Phage Therapy
• +3 more

Alexander Meeske is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Microbiology . His research focuses on the mechanistic relationships between CRISPR-Cas systems, bacterial hosts, and bacteriophages , utilizing high-throughput genetics, biochemical reconstitution, and microscopy. Established Listeria seeligeri as a model for RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 immunity during postdoctoral work at Rockefeller University. Current work explores regulation of CRISPR immunity, phage resistance mechanisms, and non-immune roles of CRISPR systems. Research interests include: CRISPR-Cas Systems Anti-CRISPR Proteins Bacterial Cell Wall Synthesis Phage-Bacteria Coevolution RNA-Guided Immunity High-Throughput Genetic Screens Recent publications highlight discoveries in: CRISPR-Cas13 dormancy and resuscitation pathways (2019–2023). Anti-CRISPR protein mechanisms (2020, 2022). Phage-encoded escape strategies (2016, 2021). Cell wall synthesis in Bacillus subtilis (2013–2016). Lab members include: Postdocs: Shally Margolis, Shoshanna Kahne. PhD Students: Marshall Godsil, Sarina Kao, Amanda Antoch, Edith Sawyer, Luke Oriolt, Alison Ciling. Research Scientists: Maddie Williams, Mark Katz. Collaborations extend to the Guo Lab, focusing on joint PhD training programs.

• CRISPR-Cas Systems
• Bacterial Immunity
• Bacteriophage Interactions
• +4 more

Jeremy Barr is an Associate Professor (Research) at Monash University's School of Biological Sciences and a key member of the Monash Centre to Impact Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). He leads an independent laboratory focused on bacteriophage biology and has established himself as a significant contributor to phage therapy research. Dr. Barr completed his PhD in microbiology at The University of Queensland in 2011 as part of the Advanced Water Management Center. He then conducted postdoctoral research under Prof. Forest Rohwer at San Diego State University, where he studied bacteriophage interactions with mucosal surfaces that provide non-host-derived immunity. He joined Monash University in 2016 to establish his independent laboratory in Bacteriophage Biology and became part of the Monash Centre to Impact AMR in 2020. His research program centers on bacteriophage-virus interactions with bacterial hosts and eukaryotic cells, with particular focus on the Bacteriophage Adherence to Mucus (BAM) model. His lab investigates how phages control bacterial populations, prevent infection, and regulate the microbiome through tri-partite symbioses. They utilize cross-disciplinary techniques to explore fundamental bacteriophage biology with applications for combating antimicrobial resistance. Dr. Barr's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on translating phage biology into clinical applications, particularly for treating antibiotic-resistant infections. His work shows how phage resistance can paradoxically resensitize bacteria to antibiotics, providing new therapeutic approaches against pathogens like Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Faculty Of Science Awards: Research Excellence by an Early Career Researcher (2021) Tall Poppy Award (2021) Vice-Chancellor's Award for Research Excellence by an Early Career Researchers (STEM) (2021) Dr. Barr is actively involved in multiple research projects, including The Monash Phage Foundry to manufacture clinical-grade phage products, investigations into bacteriophage internalization by human cells, and research to improve the clinical translation of phage therapy. He is also part of the Aerosol Infection Research project (AIRBORNE) funded by the Medical Research Future Fund. As an active member of the community empowerment initiative, he helps raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and has contributed to public understanding through numerous media appearances and public lectures. His laboratory serves as an experimental biology hub utilizing cross-disciplinary approaches to investigate fundamental and mechanistic bacteriophage biology, with direct applications for addressing the global antimicrobial resistance crisis.

• Bacteriophage Biology
• Antimicrobial Resistance
• Phage Therapy
• +7 more

Alan R. Davidson is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on bacteriophages (phages) and their interactions with bacterial CRISPR-Cas systems, with applications in human health, genome editing, and antibiotic alternatives. He has made groundbreaking discoveries in anti-CRISPR proteins and phage-derived biological tools. Discovered first phage-encoded CRISPR-Cas inhibitors Investigates phage structural biology and assembly Studies prophage impacts on bacterial pathogenesis Develops phage-related entities for microbiome manipulation Davidson's lab combines structural biology (X-ray crystallography, NMR, cryo-EM) with molecular biology and microbiology to explore these systems. His work has been recognized with the Sela Cheifetz Award (2015). He teaches advanced biochemistry courses including BCH473Y Advanced Research Project in Biochemistry and BCH2112 From chaperones to CRISPR-Cas: the incredible genius of phages . His recent research trends include: CRISPR-Cas inhibition mechanisms Phage structural protein evolution Anti-CRISPR functional diversity Prophage-host physiological interactions Therapeutic applications of phage entities Scientific Awards: Sela Cheifetz Award (2015) Davidson's lab serves as a training ground for students, emphasizing interdisciplinary techniques in structural biology, molecular biology, and microbiology to tackle complex phage-bacteria interactions.

• Bacteriophages
• CRISPR-Cas systems
• Protein structure and folding
• +5 more

Justin Meyer is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Ecology, Behavior & Evolution at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), where he leads the Meyer Lab focused on experimental microbial ecology and evolution. His research bridges theoretical evolutionary biology with practical applications in phage therapy and synthetic biology, using bacteriophage lambda as a key model system. Dr. Meyer received his Ph.D. from Michigan State University and was a Systems Biology Departmental Fellow at Harvard Medical School, where he was awarded the James S. McDonnell Foundation Fellowship for Studying Complex Systems. He joined the UCSD faculty in 2014, establishing his research program at the intersection of evolutionary theory and microbial systems. Meyer's research spans several interconnected areas in evolutionary biology. His lab investigates fundamental questions about speciation, novelty, evolvability, and complexity using microbial experimental systems. Through innovative approaches combining trackable microbial platforms and synthetic biology, his team generates new datasets to test evolutionary and ecological theories that were previously untestable. A key focus is understanding how bacteriophage λ evolves to exploit alternative receptors, providing critical insights into host-pathogen interactions and the mechanisms of evolutionary innovation. Analysis of Meyer's recent publications (2021-2024) reveals a strong emphasis on the molecular mechanisms of viral evolution, particularly how protein instability and phenotypic heterogeneity drive host-range expansion. His work increasingly integrates theoretical models with experimental approaches to understand fitness landscape deformations during coevolution. The research has significant implications for developing more robust phage therapeutics through "evolutionary training" protocols that pre-evolve bacteriophages to counter bacterial resistance. Scientific recognition includes: James S. McDonnell Foundation Fellowship for Studying Complex Systems Systems Biology Departmental Fellowship at Harvard Medical School Meyer actively mentors the next generation of scientists through his lab at UCSD. His team includes postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, and undergraduate researchers working collaboratively on projects spanning from basic evolutionary questions to applied phage therapy development. His lab has secured funding supporting research on coevolutionary dynamics, viral speciation, and the development of synthetic phage platforms for removing antibiotic resistance genes from microbiomes. The Meyer Lab operates from the Muir Biology Building at UCSD, maintaining active collaborations with researchers across disciplines including synthetic biology, microbiology, and medical researchers developing novel antimicrobial therapies. The lab's work on "evolutionary training" of bacteriophages and gene drive technologies represents a unique integration of theoretical evolutionary biology with practical therapeutic applications.

• Evolutionary Biology
• Microbial Ecology
• Viral Evolution
• +7 more

Catherine Hernandez is a microbial ecologist and evolutionary biologist, currently serving as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow and YIBS Donnelley Fellow in the Turner lab at Yale University. Her research focuses on understanding how environmental factors like temperature influence bacteria-phage interactions, with a particular emphasis on marine microbes and climate change impacts. She completed her PhD in the Koskella lab at the University of California, Berkeley, studying plant-associated bacteria-phage dynamics. Her current projects include developing a strain library of marine isolates from Long Island Sound to explore thermal responses in microbes, investigating adaptation mechanisms to abiotic stressors like desiccation, and analyzing viral genes associated with temperature tolerance using metagenomic data. Collaborations with undergraduates, such as Jaime J. Cha and Kieren Leif Dykstra, highlight her commitment to mentoring. Key research themes include microbial trait variation, stress adaptation, and the ecological relevance of phage interactions. Her work bridges field studies, lab experiments, and computational methods, addressing global challenges in climate change biology and microbial ecology. Awards include prestigious fellowships from NSF and YIBS, underscoring her contributions to the field.

• Microbial Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Phage-Bacteria Interactions
• +3 more