I started as a microbiologist studying the cellulose-degrading capabilities of bacteria from the rumen, making extensive use of anaerobic cultivation buoyed by the then emerging area of comparative microbial genomics. Since that time my interest in understanding mammalian gastrointestinal function has been complemented by my ongoing research in environmental systems. Although the scales are vastly different between the two, many of the approaches used in both GI and field research are steeped in classical ecological theory and serve to explore the complex microbial communities underlying system function.
Training
- BS, 1996, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Biology
- MS, 2001, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Animal Sciences (Microbiology)
- PhD, 2004, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Animal Sciences (Microbiology)
- Postdoctoral Fellow, 2006, Michigan State University, Microbiology
- Research Fellow, 2008, The University of Michigan, Infectious Diseases