We study the self organization of very tiny things within tiny living things

  • Watching the motions of cell wall synthesis.
  • Tracking the directed motions of single molecules.

  • Imaging celluar structures with sub-diffraction microscopy.
  • Dissecting and reconstituting polymerizing systems

 



The focus of our lab is to understand how small collections of genes, operating at local length scales, can establish order at long range distances to create overall cell shape, make the cell divide, segregate cargo within the cell, and create spatial patterning.

We employ a combination of high resolution microscopy, biochemistry, genetics, and computational approaches to probe these internal organization and dynamics within bacterial cell. We then hope to mechanistically dissect how these tiny self-organizing / force generating machines function. By understanding these essential processes, we hope to uncover new targets for antibiotics.