معرفی
Michelle Afkhami is Associate Professor at the University of Miami's College of Arts and Sciences, where she directs the University Greenhouse and co-directs BioReach. Her lab investigates plant-microbe interactions, mutualisms, and microbiomes using field experiments, genomics, and modeling to understand how these systems respond to global change.
Research focuses on microbial mediation of plant distributions, mutualism-driven range expansions, fragmentation effects on microbial communities, and applications in sustainable agriculture and conservation. Current projects examine microbial roles in Everglades restoration and climate resilience.
Analysis of recent publications reveals three dominant themes: (1) disturbance impacts on microbial communities (fire, hurricanes, fragmentation), (2) multidimensional aspects of microbial symbioses across evolutionary and ecological scales, and (3) applied microbiome management for ecosystem restoration. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates genomic tools with ecological theory.
Lab Values
- Building predictive knowledge of plant-associated microbiomes from genes to ecosystems
- Conducting fearless interdisciplinary science
- Cultivating inclusive scientific communities
