My research focuses on the evolution, ecology, and molecular genetics of parasitic genes within bacterial genomes. I am particularly interested in understanding:
- why transposable elements often proliferate in pathogenic bacteria, and how this proliferation affects the evolutionary success and genomic architecture of their hosts, and
- the selective forces that shape where mobile genetic elements 'live' in bacterial genomes.
We use a variety of different approaches in my lab, including laboratory evolution experiments, analyses of natural populations, and mining public genetic databases. As such, my research program is highly amenable to involving students with a range of different interests.
Please email me if you’re interested in possibly joining our research group.