Didier Hocquet is a Professor in the Department of Pathogenes at Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté. His research focuses on antibiotic resistance mechanisms, healthcare-associated infections, and the epidemiology of Gram-negative bacilli within a One Health framework. He leads projects such as ALIMBRA (assessing diet’s role in bacterial colonization) and MEHTA (managing environmental AMR hotspots). His work integrates molecular biology, genomics, and environmental analysis to address bacterial spread in hospitals, environments, and animals. Education: Pharmacist-biologist with a PhD and HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches). Current affiliations include the UMR 6249 Chrono-environment research unit and the Hauts du Chazal Site. Research Interests: Antibiotic Resistance Dynamics Environmental and Hospital Bacterial Contamination Genomic Analysis of Pathogens Zoonotic Transmission Pathways Articles focus on topics like cephalosporin resistance, Legionella contamination, and antibiotic pollution in water systems. His work highlights interdisciplinary approaches to combat AMR. Labs/Teams: Active within the Chrono-environment network, collaborating on environmental and clinical microbiology projects.
Katy JEANNOT is a Clinical Professor affiliated with the University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté and the CHU Besançon Hospital. Her research focuses on antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, including efflux pumps, genetic determinants of resistance, and adaptations to antimicrobial peptides. She investigates clinical isolates from cystic fibrosis patients, analyzing their phenotypic and genotypic evolution. Her work spans epidemiological studies of antibiotic resistance, such as the 2023–24 Mycoplasma pneumoniae outbreak in France, and evaluates new antimicrobial agents like cefiderocol and murepavadin. She collaborates on projects involving rapid diagnostic tests for carbapenemases and genomic studies of high-risk bacterial clones. Key research areas include multidrug resistance mechanisms, envelope stress responses, and the development of novel antimicrobial strategies. She has contributed to clinical trials assessing compassionate use of antibiotics and has authored/co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles, emphasizing global antibiotic resistance surveillance and molecular epidemiology. Affiliations: CHU Besançon, UMR 6249 Chrono-Environnement, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté Labs/Teams: Involved in multidisciplinary teams studying microbial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance.
Dr. Daniel Colman is an Assistant Research Professor at Montana State University, affiliated with the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology within the College of Agriculture. His research focuses on environmental microbiology, microbial biodiversity, and extremophile adaptations, particularly in geothermal systems. He teaches courses such as BIOM 497 (Educational Methods: Microbiology) and BIOM 360 (General Microbiology), emphasizing hands-on training in microbiological education and practice. His research explores microbial interactions with geochemical environments, including sulfur oxidation pathways in Sulfolobales, genomic diversity in hot springs, and microbial hydrogen metabolism in subsurface ecosystems. Notable projects include the CALDERA drilling initiative investigating New Zealand’s Okataina Volcanic Caldera and studies on arsenic dynamics in Yellowstone’s hydrothermal systems. Recent publications highlight discoveries in Aquificota endemism, sulfur-cycling mechanisms, and anaerobic metabolism in hypersaline environments. Colman collaborates extensively with global researchers on projects linking microbial ecology to geodynamics. His work bridges microbiology, geochemistry, and environmental science, contributing to understanding life in extreme habitats. Colman’s teaching portfolio includes advanced microbiology methods and general education courses, reflecting his commitment to both research and pedagogy in microbial sciences.
Patrick Secor is an Associate Professor in Microbiology & Cell Biology at Montana State University, affiliated with the Center for Biofilm Engineering. He holds a PhD (2011) and BS (2006) in Microbiology and Biochemistry from Montana State University. His research focuses on bacteriophages, host-pathogen interactions, and developing phage-based therapies for antibiotic-resistant infections. Key areas include Pf bacteriophage's role in Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence, Lyme disease spirochete phages, and phage-induced biofilm dynamics. Research highlights include discovering phage impacts on quorum sensing, immune system interactions, and antibiotic resistance in cystic fibrosis patients. Notable publications examine Pf phage effects on bacterial aggregation, nematode interactions, and antiviral immune responses. Secor collaborates on vaccine development targeting filamentous phages and studies phage-driven antibiotic tolerance mechanisms. His work bridges basic microbiology with clinical applications in infectious disease treatment. Recent projects explore prophage-induced transcriptome changes during tick transmission of Lyme pathogens and polyamine-mediated bacterial threat detection. He teaches microbial physiology courses (BIOM 450/451) and contributes to the VIBES bioinformatics workflow for viral genome analysis. His research underscores the sociobiology of phages and their role in bacterial community dynamics.
Frank Stewart is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology at Montana State University (MSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture. His research focuses on aquatic microbiology, symbiosis, and genomics, particularly in marine low-oxygen zones and host-associated microbiomes. Stewart leads the Stewart Lab, which investigates microbial processes in oxygen-deficient environments and coral-algal interactions. Education: B.S. Biology, Middlebury College (2000) M.S. Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno (2002) Ph.D. Biology, Harvard University (2008) Research Interests: Dr. Stewart’s work examines microbial ecology in extreme environments such as oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) and coral reefs. Key areas include microbial nitrogen cycling, symbiotic relationships, and the impacts of environmental changes on microbial communities. His lab combines field studies, metagenomics, and meta-omics to understand microbial adaptations and ecosystem functions. Grants & Engagement: Stewart has secured funding from NSF, DOE, and the Simons Foundation for projects on microbial nitrogen dynamics, methane cycling, and coral microbiome resilience. He co-leads the MLOxE REU program, training students in low-oxygen ecosystem microbiology. He also serves as an editor for The ISME Journal and Environmental Microbiology . Labs & Teams: The Stewart Lab at MSU collaborates with institutions like Georgia Tech and the Marine Megafauna Foundation. Current projects include studying microbial roles in coral health, ocean deoxygenation impacts, and viral dynamics in OMZs.
Ashley Manning-Berg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on using chemical sedimentary rocks to investigate Earth's surface environments and early diagenesis effects, particularly in Precambrian marginal marine settings relevant to early life studies and extraterrestrial analogs. Specializes in Proterozoic microbial mats and their silicification constraints Applies findings to NASA's Mars exploration for biosignature detection Studies modern cave sediments and microplastic deposition in rivers Recent work includes modeling microbial mat decay (2020), calcitized evaporites in Mauritania (2023), and taphonomic heterogeneity analysis in the Angmaat Formation (2021). Her lab conducts decomposition experiments to understand preservation biases in the rock record. Current projects explore: Microplastic transport in cave systems Algal mound stratigraphy Carbonate-water-microbe interactions
Jared Ali is an Associate Professor of Entomology at the Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. His research focuses on sustainable agriculture, chemical ecology, and multi-trophic interactions, particularly how plants defend against herbivory and interact with beneficial nematodes and microbes. He leads the Penn State Center for Chemical Ecology and holds the Huck Chair of Chemical Ecology. Key research areas include plant defense mechanisms, insect behavior, and the conservation of beneficial insects. Notable projects include studies on neonicotinoid impacts on monarch butterflies, soil-borne nematode ecology, and plant responses to environmental stressors like salinity and drought. Dr. Ali has secured significant grants, including a $3M award addressing insect biodiversity loss. His work bridges fundamental ecological research with applied agricultural solutions, emphasizing sustainable farming practices and ecosystem health. Director, Penn State Center for Chemical Ecology (2022–present) Huck Chair of Chemical Ecology (2022) Recipient of USDA grants for cover crop research and graduate fellowships Recent publications highlight innovations in biocontrol strategies, plant volatile signaling, and the ecological consequences of pesticide use. His interdisciplinary approach integrates molecular biology, field ecology, and agroecological principles to address global challenges in food security and biodiversity preservation.
Charlie Cornwallis is a Professor in the Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab at Lund University. His research focuses on evolutionary transitions, particularly the emergence and maintenance of complex life forms such as multicellularity, cooperative societies, and symbiotic relationships. Key areas include understanding why transitions occur, how complex systems persist, and factors causing their breakdown. Cornwallis employs experimental and phylogenetic methods, studying systems like cooperative breeding birds (ostriches) and green algae (Volvox/Chlamydomonas). Affiliations: Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Swedish Research Council-funded projects Education: Not explicitly stated in text Research interests span cooperative behavior, thermal adaptation, disease dynamics, and genomic innovations enabling evolutionary transitions. Recent work addresses how fluctuating environments influence cooperation, pathogen-driven breakdown of sociality, and molecular mechanisms underlying cancer resilience via polyploidization. Cornwallis leads projects on ostrich thermal physiology, gut microbiota development, and symbiont-driven ecological diversification. His lab has produced 65+ publications, with notable contributions to Trends in Ecology and Evolution , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , and Cancer Research Communications . Current projects include studying multicellular origins, temperature adaptation in endotherms, and evolutionary plasticity. Grants: Swedish Research Council (2023-2027), multiple international collaborations Labs/Teams: Cornwallis Group focuses on four themes: Cooperation, Evolutionary Innovation, Disease, and Sex
Florien Gorter is a Researcher at Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the Biointeractions and Plant Health department. His work focuses on microbial ecology, evolutionary biology, and plant-microbe interactions. He leads multiple projects addressing bacterial pathogens in agriculture, such as Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum risks and potato bacterial wilt. Gorter has contributed to understanding microbial competition dynamics, including experimental evolution of toxin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. His research also explores adaptation mechanisms in yeast populations under environmental stress, including heavy metal exposure. He actively collaborates on projects involving sustainable cultivation practices, biostimulant effects, and disease management in horticultural crops. Key contributions include datasets on microbial coevolution and experimental evolution studies, published in journals like Frontiers in Microbiology and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. His activities include presentations on infection pathways of plant pathogens and circular agriculture solutions. Current projects emphasize mitigating bacterial threats in Dutch agriculture and understanding climate extremes' impact on crop diseases.
Navish Wadhwa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Arizona State University (ASU). He holds affiliations with the Biodesign Center for Mechanisms of Evolution and the Center for Biological Physics. His research focuses on the biophysical mechanisms underlying bacterial behavior, particularly how physical forces influence microbial systems. Wadhwa completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University and earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the Technical University of Denmark. Education: Postdoc, Harvard University Ph.D. Physics, Technical University of Denmark Research Interests: The Wadhwa lab investigates forces in biological systems, including bacterial motility, mechano-sensing, and flagellar motor dynamics. Techniques include biophysical experiments and theoretical modeling. Recent Trends in Articles: Recent work explores propulsion mechanisms in bacteria, fluid dynamics of microbial movement, and structural biology of flagellar components. Key themes include mechano-adaptation in nanomachines and imaging innovations for high-resolution analysis. Awards/Grants: Research supported by NIH, Arizona Biomedical Research Centre, and the Biological Integration Institute. Advising & Labs: Advises graduate students like Farhad Javi and Shajeda Begum. Lab activities include studies on bacterial surface migration and nanomotor dynamics.
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg is a Professor at James Cook University specializing in coral reef ecology and climate change impacts. His research focuses on coral symbiosis, bleaching mechanisms, and the resilience of marine ecosystems under global environmental pressures. Key research interests include coral reef biodiversity, ocean acidification, and the development of conservation strategies for tropical marine environments. He has contributed to high-impact studies on coral reef vulnerability, mesophotic coral ecosystems, and the application of artificial intelligence for reef monitoring. His work integrates molecular, ecological, and policy perspectives, addressing challenges such as coral bleaching, cyclone damage, and the adaptation of fisheries to climate change. Collaborations span institutions globally, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to marine conservation.
Oscar Kuipers is a Full Professor and Head of the Department of Molecular Genetics at the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, the Netherlands, a position he has held since 1999. He is an internationally recognized leader in antimicrobials, bacterial cell biology, synthetic biology, and bacterial gene regulation. Kuipers also serves as founder and CSO of Omnicin Therapeutics, a company he established in 2019 to develop novel antibiotics for clinical use. Dr. Kuipers earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Utrecht University with research on "Probing the mechanism of pancreatic phospholipase A2 by protein engineering." His early career included positions at NIZO Food Research (1990-1999), where he served as Head of Genetics from 1997-1999, and an EMBO Fellowship in Paris Orsay in 1988. Kuipers' research focuses on several interconnected areas that have significantly advanced our understanding of bacterial systems and antimicrobial development. He is a world-leading expert on lantibiotics (modified antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria), having unraveled the biosynthesis route of nisin and discovered that nisin induces its own expression through bacterial cell-to-cell signaling. His pioneering work on phenotypic heterogeneity at the single-cell level revealed that differentiation in bacterial cultures is omnipresent and has important implications for bacterial behavior. More recently, Kuipers has developed a synthetic biology suite to mimic non-ribosomally produced peptide antibiotics (NRPS) with ribosomally produced and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs), with applications for developing novel antimicrobials for pharmaceutical use. His publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in antimicrobial research, with particular emphasis on lantibiotics, peptide engineering, and bacterial population dynamics. The research trajectory shows an evolution from fundamental biochemical studies to applied pharmaceutical development, with recent work focusing on overcoming antibiotic resistance through innovative approaches like synthetic helper peptides and hybrid lanthipeptides. Dr. Kuipers has received numerous prestigious honors and awards throughout his career: Chairman of jury to appoint new members to Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) (2021) Royal decoration of Knight in the Order of the Dutch Lion by King Willem Alexander (2019) Honorary Professor at Nankai University, China (2019) ISI Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher (2016) Elected Executive Board Member, European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) (2015) Elected Member, European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) (2013) iGEM Team Groningen: European and World Champion 2012 Synthetic Biology (2012) Elected Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) (2011) Simon Stevin Meester Award (Science and Technology Award of STW, Dutch Science Council) €500,000 (2011) As supervisor and coordinator of the iGEM team Groningen from 2008-2015, Kuipers mentored numerous students in synthetic biology competitions. His research has been supported by significant funding, including the Simon Stevin Meester Award of €500,000. His work has resulted in an impressive publication record with an h-factor of 113 (Google Scholar) and over 50,000 citations. Kuipers leads research at the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, where his group focuses on developing novel antimicrobials for pharmaceutical applications. His recent work has centered on using lantibiotics as templates for new antibiotic development, with his synthetic biology suite enabling the creation of ribosomally produced and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) as alternatives to non-ribosomally produced peptide antibiotics (NRPS). In 2019, he translated this research into practical applications by founding Omnicin Therapeutics to develop novel antibiotics for clinical use.
A. Jonathan Shaw is a Professor of Biology at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, specializing in Sphagnum (peat moss) genomics, evolutionary ecology, and bryophyte systematics. His work bridges molecular phylogenetics, carbon cycling, and ecosystem dynamics. Ph.D., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (1983) M.S., University of Alberta (1980) B.S., Cornell University (1977) Research focuses on Sphagnum's role in peatland carbon sequestration, microbial symbiosis, and phylogenetic discordance in rapidly radiated bryophytes. He investigates how genetic and environmental factors shape niche construction and diversification patterns. Scientific Awards include the Richard Spruce Award (International Association of Bryologists, 2010) and the William Starling Sullivant Award (American Bryological Society, 2000). His recent publications explore sex chromosome evolution in peat mosses, microbiome-mediated climate resilience, and hybridization-driven speciation. As a professional leader , he served as President of the American Bryological and Lichenological Society (2013-2015) and as Associate Editor for journals like Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution . His teaching includes courses on plant diversity, grant writing, and independent research.
Matthias Koch is an Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University. He holds an M.Sc. in Physics (University of Freiburg, 2010) and a Ph.D. in Biophysics (2015). After postdoctoral research at Princeton University (2015–2022), he joined Texas A&M. His research focuses on the interplay between physical forces, bacterial behavior, and viral dynamics. Key areas include bacterial surface interactions under flow (e.g., shear stress effects on antimicrobial resistance), viral evolution in wildlife and marine species, and the mechanics of biofilm formation. Research interests encompass Biophysics of bacterial adhesion and motility Viral ecology in diverse hosts (e.g., mammals, birds) Microbial response to environmental stresses Genetic regulation of bacterial pili systems Publications highlight work on Anelloviruses in leporids and dolphins, Pseudomonas aeruginosa surface dynamics, and phage-host interactions. His lab investigates mechanisms like shear-flow modulation of bacterial physiology and viral adaptation strategies. Grants and advising details are not explicitly listed. His Koch Lab explores microbial systems at the interface of physics and biology, with ongoing studies on microbial rheosensing and pathogen survival strategies.
Dr. Niklas Schandry is a Researcher at the Institute of Genetics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), within the Faculty of Biology. He leads the Becker research group, focusing on plant-microbe interactions, plant secondary metabolites, and microbial ecology. His work integrates genetics, biochemistry, and computational methods to understand how plants and microbes communicate and adapt chemically. Dr. Schandry's research explores the genetic basis of allelopathic interactions, leveraging tools like the 1001G+ project for Arabidopsis genome analysis and automated phenotyping workflows (e.g., ARADEEPOPSIS). His team investigates bacterial responses to plant-derived compounds such as benzoxazinoids and diterpenes, with implications for agriculture and synthetic biology. Key Projects: Allelochemical networks, bacterial community dynamics, and plant-pathogen effector systems. Lab Members: Includes doctoral candidate Liza Rouyer and postdoc Duncan B. Crosbie. Technical Expertise: Genomics, transcriptomics, and CRISPR-based knockout systems. Recent studies highlight his focus on TNL receptors in microbiome feedback mechanisms, flagellin epitope evolution, and the antibiotic role of plant metabolites. His work bridges fundamental biology with applied challenges in sustainable agriculture and disease resistance.
