Research Summary:

Evolutionary genetics from the molecular to the phenotypic levels comprises the bulk of my research. Specific topics include the evolution of engineered genomes, microbial drug resistance, and adaptation addressed empirically and theoretically. Experimental systems are developed in which evolution occurs over short time periods in the laboratory; the evolved lines are then analyzed at the molecular genetic level, so that the course of evolution is known with certainty. Research organisms are chiefly bacteriophage, enabling complete genome sequencing. Students are encouraged to initiate their research on a well-defined model system to gain experience and then expand their research to problems of their own design.