Biosketch
I received my Ph.D. in Genetics from the University of Michigan in 1967 with a background and training in population and evolutionary genetics. William J. Shull was my major advisor. I have taught at Brown University, the University of Massachusetts, and since 1992, at Emory University. I am a population and evolutionary biologist doing theoretical (mathematical and computer simulation modeling) and experimental studies with bacteria and their phage and plasmids. In addition to precious academic subjects, like the ecology and evolution of bacteria, bacteriophage (phage), and plasmids, I am also engaged in potentially useful applied subjects. The latter include investigations of the population dynamics of antibiotic and phage therapy and the conditions for antibiotic resistance evolution.
Research Interests
We (a pronoun that includes the students, postdocs, and collaborators I have the honor to work with) are currently engaged in five projects. 1- Studies of the population dynamics and evolution of lysogeny. 2- Studies of the population and evolutionary dynamics and conditions for the evolution of abortive phage infection, focusing on retrons. 3- Studies of the combination of antibiotics and phage therapy for the treatment of bacterial infections. 4- Studies of the long-term exposure of E. coli to ribosome-targeting bacteriostatic antibiotics. 5- Studies of the population dynamics of lytic and temperate phage and bacteria with CRISPR-Cas mediated adaptive immunity.
Membership Type
Member
Election Year
2012
Primary Section
Section 27: Evolutionary Biology
Secondary Section
Section 44: Microbial Biology