An intriguing question with roots in the origin of life is how matter transitioned from Darwin’s warm pond to the last universal common ancestor. Impossible to address directly, scientists can still provide insights into these issues by asking questions about life today. How do the simplest modern bacterial cells go beyond bags of molecules? How are molecules spatially and logically organized? Understanding how matter transitioned into life also impacts the design of intelligent materials life-like properties, new synthetic biology technologies for health applications, and new antibiotic targets. We have considered the role of phase separation in compartmentalizing RNA and signaling biochemistry in bacteria. We have then leveraged this knowledge for new antibiotic targets and new microbial synthetic biology technologies. We are using mechanistic biochemistry, synthetic biology, molecular biology and biophysical chemistry techniques to determine how these systems were developed and what makes them efficient and reliable.
Get to know more about our research projects by clicking the links below!
Get to know more about our research projects by clicking the links below!