Elijah (Eli) Mehlferber:
Eli received his Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, completing his dissertation which examined the role that phyllosphere-associated bacterial communities play in modulating their host health and functions. While at U.C. Berkeley, Eli worked under the mentorship of Ph.D. Britt Koskella, whose research focused on the coevolution of hosts and their symbionts in the environment. Eli is currently a NSF postdoctoral fellow in our lab, and is interested in understanding the traits that underly Pseudomonas aeruignosa’s success as a generalist and opportunistic pathogen. Specifically focusing on linking genomic features to phenotypic traits, he employs both experimental and computational approaches to answer several important questions:
1). Why are some strains of P. aeruginosa more successful than others when transitioning between different environments? 2). Can we find evidence in the genomes of these strains to indicate which environments they have previously adapted to? 3). Does the evolutionary and environmental history of P. aeruignosa strains influence their ability to adapt to future environments? and 4). Can the preceding information be leveraged to determine the risk of a strain invading a new habitat using only genomic information on that strain?
Canan Karakoc (pronounced John-an):
Starting on a whirlwind journey that spanned continents, career paths, and scientific horizons, Canan (pronounced John-an) finalized her PhD in 2019, just before the world turned upside down with the pandemic, from the University of Leipzig in Germany. Unraveling the mysteries of community dynamics, species interactions, coexistence, and stability, she found herself working with the cool minds at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, and the German Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), leaving a mark across Europe until 2021. But wait, there’s a plot twist! Canan stumbled upon a new passion for the tiniest life forms: microbes. Diving into bacteria, bacteriophages, and the evolution of antibiotic resistance, she fearlessly navigated through the chaos of a viral world. Seeking yet another adventure, she moved to the stateside, where she called upon yet another microbial odyssey, this time teaming up with the legendary Jay Lennon at Indiana University. Together, they have worked on enigmatic realms of energy limitation, dormancy, and evolutionary bioenergetics, crafting a scientific saga. And then, the stars aligned once more, guiding Canan to the doorstep of the admirable Brown Lab at the beginning of 2024. Here, she tackles the darker side of the microbial world: disease dynamics. Armed with experimental evolution, ecological modeling, and the fine art of clinical data mining, she focuses on the dance of lethal infections and the symphony of death dynamics. Brace yourselves, her microbial adventures are just beginning!