Alexander Meeske

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.