Environmental conditions can determine whether a microbial partner is beneficial, neutral, or harmful to its host. We investigate how insects and their microbial symbionts respond to thermal stress, including sustained high temperatures and short-term heat events. By experimentally pairing insects with different Caballeronia strains, we can test whether variation in symbiont thermal tolerance predicts differences in host performance.

Microbial strains that perform differently under environmental stress may differ substantially in their genomic features. We use comparative genomics alongside laboratory experiments to investigate the genetic basis of variation among insect-associated Caballeronia. By connecting genomic differences among strains with traits such as thermal performance, growth, and host-associated fitness effects, we aim to identify microbial characteristics that contribute to successful symbiosis under different environmental conditions and across geographic ranges.

Microbial symbionts can alter how insects interact with other organisms. We are interested in whether beneficial symbionts influence interactions between insects and pathogens, including the plant pathogen Serratia ureilytica. Future work will examine whether variation in host–symbiont partnerships alters pathogen persistence, infection dynamics, or transmission.