Chandra Jack

Chandra Jack is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Clark University, where she leads research on plant-microbe interactions and eco-evolutionary dynamics. She holds a Ph.D. in Evolutionary Biology from Rice University (2011) and a B.A. in Biology from the same institution (2005).

Her research program examines how microbial communities influence plant fitness, functional traits, and population structure, with particular focus on invasive species adaptation. The Jack Lab employs experimental, molecular, and computational approaches to study below-ground ecological processes in agricultural and natural systems.

Research publications demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches spanning microbial ecology, evolutionary biology, and invasion science. Recent work explores soil microbiome influences on plant development, rapid evolution in invasive plants, and methodological advances in analyzing plant defensive compounds.

The lab maintains an inclusive environment with multiple undergraduate researchers and a graduate student. Current projects include investigations into prairie soil effects on wheat development and habitat-specific microbiome variations in Hypericum perforatum.