Research
Research
I study how microbes move, respond and defend themselves at the level of single molecules and single cells — and build the experimental systems that accelerate that understanding.
Research Projects
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Prokaryotic motility
The unique motility of microbes and its biophysics.
I visualise the motion of microbial motility machinery at the level of single motor units, and build experimental systems to reveal how mechanical work is coupled to chemical reactions.
Key papers PNAS (2014), Nat Microbiol (2016), Commun Biol (2019), PNAS (2020) -
Host–phage defense
Molecular strategies and dynamics of microbial defense.
Bacteria and archaea carry diverse immune systems against viruses. Using a signalling-based defense system as a model, I study how these systems sense infection and decide when to act.
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Automation
Building experimental systems for greater discovery.
I develop an automated platform for microbial cultivation, and aim to move biological experiments that depend on individual skill from manual work to automation — and ultimately to autonomy.