PhD Research: My work in Dr. Jennifer Martiny's lab focused on bifidobacteria, an import group of anaerobic, gram-positive bacteria, members of the Actinobacteria phylum and the genus Bifidobacterium. They are inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract, vagina and mouth of mammals and some insects. This group has gained notable attention as their presence in the gut has been correlated with health-promoting benefits. These benefits include the production of beneficial metabolites (vitamins, antioxidants, and short-chain fatty acids), immune system development, protection from certain gut diseases (enterocolitis and acute diarrhea) and degradation of fiber and complex carbohydrates. In addition, bifidobacteria are often linked with newborns as specific species of bifidobacteria are needed to degrade human milk oligosaccharides derived from breast-milk and are used as probiotics (e.g. yogurts, pills, etc...). While there are many studies on human bifidobacteria, most focus on one strain at a time, without considering the variety that coexist in the gut at any one time. Studying the ecology and evolution of bifidobacteria as a diverse group provides an opportunity to uncover general mechanisms that determine bacterial diversity in the gut as well as their role in human health. My thesis focused on the ecological and evolutionary forces driving the assembly, coexistence, and functioning of bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, my objectives were to:
Previous research: During my undergraduate career and my first years of graduate school I worked with Dr. Francisco Ayala and Dr. Luis Mota-Bravo (UCI) analyzing the evolution and dispersion of antibiotic resistance genes, especially in aquatic systems. We hypothesized that genes that confer resistance to antibiotics are mobilized by transposons and plasmids; once these genes are in plasmids they disperse geographically and to multiple species of bacteria.
Research abroad: I worked with Dr. Claudia Linker at King's College London for a summer. I studied Neural Crest cells migration using zebrafish embryos as model organisms. We hypothesized that cell cycle progression plays a role in Neural Crest migration initiation. My tasks included to find compounds that could potentially arrest the cell cycle in Neural Crest Cells. I also genotyped through PCR different zebrafish lines and performed in situ hybridization to observe the migration of cells.