Host-microbe interactions are incredibly prevelent in biology. Bacteria infecting a host, gut-microbiome influencing disease states in humans, and interactions between the immune system and viruses are just a few examples. We are broadly interested in examining dynamic host-microbe interactions and how they influence the behavior of the host. 

If we can figure out how such interactions occur, then we may be able to alter disease states by changing how microbes interact with their host. 

Previous publications:

De Abreu, I.R., Barkdull, A., Munoz, J. R., Smith, R.P., and Craddock, T.J.A. (2023) A molecular analysis of substituted phenylethylamines as potential microtubule targeting agents through in-vitro microtubule-polymerization activity. Scientific Reports. Accepted. 

Velagapudi, P., Ghoubrial, R., Shah, R., Ghali, H., Haas, M., Patel, K.S., Riddell, A., Blanar, C.A. and Smith, R.P. (2020). A potential tradeoff between feeding rate and aversive learning determines intoxication in a Caenorhabditis elegans host-pathogen system. Microbes and Infection. 22, no 8, 340-348

Smith, RP., Easson, C., Lyle, S.M., Kapoor, R., Donnelly, C.P., Davidson, E.J., Parikh, E., Lopez, JV., and Tartar, JL. (2019) Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PloS one 14, no. 10: e0222394.

Bracho, OR., Manchery, C., Haskell, E.C., Blanar, C.A., and Smith, R.P. (2016) Circumvention of learning increases intoxication efficacy of nematicidal engineered bacteria." ACS Synthetic Biology 5, no. 3: 241-249.