Background
Because of the metabolic, functional, and immunologic diversity endowed by our body’s microbial communities, the human microbiome has been called our ‘second genome’. Among the protective properties of the microbiome is the competitive exclusion of pathogens, in which transmission and virulence of pathogens, especially drug-resistant species like Staphylococcus aureus, are likely restricted by the entrenched flora. Next-generation antibiotics and antimicrobials necessitate new design principles that incorporate information about both a pathogen’s unique genetic susceptibilities and virulence factors as well as information about its surrounding microbial community: the microbiome contains both beneficial symbionts and a genetic reservoir for horizontal exchange of antibiotic resistance or virulence genes.
Our research
We seek to use diverse technologies like genomics, synthetic biology, and genome engineering to target and manipulate the microbiota for therapeutic purposes. We primarily use the human skin microbiome as a system to understand the complex interactions between the host, its immune system, and the microbiome. Some of our research goals are to:
- Integrate synthetic approaches guided by microbial surveys to develop clinical interventions that target pathogens without disrupting our bodies’ healthy microbiota.
- Use these tools to understand the genetic basis of community homeostasis and how this interaction with the host contributes to disease.
- Develop computational and experimental tools to interrogate microbial 'dark matter', parts of our microbiota that are not yet characterized by current approaches.
More information:
http://ohlabjax.weebly.com
Research HighlightMay 24, 2017
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The Search Magazine ArticleOctober 23, 2015