Humans usually recognize the impact of microbes on their lives through an infectious disease or spoiled food, but microorganisms have far more important beneficial effects. Microbes are responsible for producing foods (wine, cheese, and bread) and biofuels (ethanol, CH4, H2), degrading toxic compounds, recycling organic material, and driving biogeochemical cycles in nature. Our capacity to appreciate them is based on the limited number of microbial species in isolation. Owing to molecular biology techniques, we know that many more microbial species are waiting to be discovered. The research program in our laboratory is guided by the following specific questions:
1) How is the genetic diversity of a species reflected in its habitat abundance pattern?
2) What biological, chemical, and physical forces shape spatial and temporal patterns of species distribution?
3) What are the genomic features (genes, regulatory sequences, gene copy number, etc.) responsible for the ecological outcome of a species?
To answer these questions, our laboratory has been using a combination of genomic, proteomic, and physiological experimental data to study microbial phylogenetic and functional diversification. Results from this work have broad implications to basic research in evolutionary biology and ecology, and applied aspects, such as conservation policies for natural and agricultural ecosystems.
1) How is the genetic diversity of a species reflected in its habitat abundance pattern?
2) What biological, chemical, and physical forces shape spatial and temporal patterns of species distribution?
3) What are the genomic features (genes, regulatory sequences, gene copy number, etc.) responsible for the ecological outcome of a species?
To answer these questions, our laboratory has been using a combination of genomic, proteomic, and physiological experimental data to study microbial phylogenetic and functional diversification. Results from this work have broad implications to basic research in evolutionary biology and ecology, and applied aspects, such as conservation policies for natural and agricultural ecosystems.
Laboratory News
March 2025 - We welcome Dr. Dan Chen to our lab. We have new publications from our work in Environmental Microbiology Reports, mSphere, mSystems. Amazing research being developed in our group. Thank you team!
January 2025 - A new publication from our collaborative work in the Amazon rainforest. Congratulations to the new assistant professor Andressa Venturini.
November 2024 - Julia received an award as one of the three best PhD Dissertations in Agronomic Sciences by the University of Sao Paulo in 2024. Way to go Julia!
October 2024 - Our lab welcome Monica, Jingwei, Dr. Junyi Xie and Dr. Hanbing Cao to our group. Another great publication from our collaboration with San Diego State University in the journal Global Change Biology.
July 2024 - A wonderful publication from Julia! Congratulations for your hard work and perseverance. Check the pub at the journal Environmental Microbiome.
June 2024 - Great new publications from our lab and collaborators: Nature Microbiology, Science of the Total Environment, Applied Soil Ecology.
January 2024 - We welcome Dr. Cong Wang to our lab! A new publication about the soils in the Amazon in the prestigious journal Global Change Biology.
January 2025 - A new publication from our collaborative work in the Amazon rainforest. Congratulations to the new assistant professor Andressa Venturini.
November 2024 - Julia received an award as one of the three best PhD Dissertations in Agronomic Sciences by the University of Sao Paulo in 2024. Way to go Julia!
October 2024 - Our lab welcome Monica, Jingwei, Dr. Junyi Xie and Dr. Hanbing Cao to our group. Another great publication from our collaboration with San Diego State University in the journal Global Change Biology.
July 2024 - A wonderful publication from Julia! Congratulations for your hard work and perseverance. Check the pub at the journal Environmental Microbiome.
June 2024 - Great new publications from our lab and collaborators: Nature Microbiology, Science of the Total Environment, Applied Soil Ecology.
January 2024 - We welcome Dr. Cong Wang to our lab! A new publication about the soils in the Amazon in the prestigious journal Global Change Biology.
Research
Research interests in our lab vary from genes and molecules to microbial communities to ecosystems. These ecosystems also vary in size from small (soil aggregates) to large (tropical forests).
Amazon Rainforest
How do microbes respond to land use change?
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Systems Biology
How do different microbial ecotypes co-exist?
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Agricultural
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Our Outreach
We value Science and Education and we are fully committed to translating our scientific findings to the general public. Over the years, our laboratory has taken steps to discuss and provide information about soil microbial communities and their multiple functions to the public.
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