A5020490780- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- COVID-19 epidemiological studies
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Plant and animal studies
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Complex Network Analysis Techniques
- Respiratory viral infections research
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Gene Regulatory Network Analysis
- Bioinformatics and Genomic Networks
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence
- COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
Georgia Institute of Technology
2016-2025
Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure
2022-2025
University of Maryland, College Park
2023-2025
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
2025
Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
2024-2025
Research Network (United States)
2022
Institute of Bioengineering Technologies (United States)
2021
Novem (Netherlands)
2021
State Street (United States)
2011-2019
Swansea University
2019
The processes responsible for the evolution of key innovations, whereby lineages acquire qualitatively new functions that expand their ecological opportunities, remain poorly understood. We examined how a virus, bacteriophage λ, evolved to infect its host, Escherichia coli, through novel pathway. Natural selection promoted fixation mutations in virus's host-recognition protein, J, improved fitness on original receptor, LamB, and set stage other allowed infection OmpF. These viral arose after...
Abstract The ability to nondestructively image and automatically phenotype complex root systems, like those of rice (Oryza sativa), is fundamental identifying genes underlying system architecture (RSA). Although systems are central plant fitness, responsible for RSA remains an underexplored opportunity crop improvement. Here we describe a nondestructive imaging analysis automated phenotyping trait ranking RSA. Using this system, roots from 12 genotypes. We estimate traits previously...
Abstract Background Characterizing root system architecture (RSA) is essential to understanding the development and function of vascular plants. Identifying RSA-associated genes also represents an underexplored opportunity for crop improvement. Software tools are needed accelerate pace at which quantitative traits RSA estimated from images networks. Results We have developed GiA Roots (General Image Analysis Roots), a semi-automated software tool designed specifically high-throughput...
Significance Improving the efficiency of root systems should result in crop varieties with better yields, requiring fewer chemical inputs, and that can grow harsher environments. Little is known about genetic factors condition growth because roots’ complex shapes, opacity soil, environmental influences. We designed a 3D imaging analysis platform used it to identify regions rice genome control several different aspects system growth. The results this study inform future efforts enhance...
Viruses are the most abundant life forms on Earth, with an estimated 10(31) total viruses globally. The majority of these infect microbes, whether bacteria, archaea or microeukaryotes. Given importance microbes in driving global biogeochemical cycles, it would seem, based numerical abundances alone, that also play important role cycling carbon and nutrients. However, controlling host populations ecosystem functions, such as regeneration, storage export other nutrients, remains unresolved....
Current plant phenotyping technologies to characterize agriculturally relevant traits have been primarily developed for use in laboratory and/or greenhouse conditions. In the case of root architectural traits, this limits efforts, largely, young plants grown specialized containers and growth media. Hence, novel approaches are required mature systems older under actual soil conditions field. Imaging methods able address challenges associated with characterizing rare due, part, greater...
The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated a global crisis, with more than 1,430,000 confirmed cases and 85,000 deaths globally as of 9 April 20201-4. Mitigation suppression new infections have emerged the two predominant public health control strategies5. Both strategies focus on reducing by limiting human-to-human interactions, which could be both socially economically unsustainable in long term. We developed analyzed an epidemiological intervention model that leverages serological tests6,7 to...
Significance Classical game theory addresses how individuals make decisions given suitable incentives, for example, whether to use a commons rapaciously or with restraint. However, classical does not typically address the consequences of individual actions that reshape environment over long term. Here, we propose unified approach analyze and understand coupled evolution strategies environment. We revisit originating tragedy example evaluate overuse resource changes incentives future action....
Significance In contrast to predictions of conventional epidemic models, COVID-19 outbreak time series have highly asymmetric shapes, with cases and fatalities declining much more slowly than they rose. Here, we investigate how awareness-driven behavior modulates shape. We find that short-term awareness leads emergent plateaus, persistent shoulder-like dynamics, lag-driven oscillations in an SEIR-like model. However, a joint analysis mobility data suggests populations relaxed restrictions...
The role of asymptomatic carriers in transmission poses challenges for control the COVID-19 pandemic. Study and implications surveillance disease burden are ongoing, but there has been little study on dynamics disease. We use a mathematical framework to evaluate expected effects basic reproduction number R0 (i.e., secondary cases generated by an average primary case fully susceptible population) fraction new attributable individuals. If generation-interval distribution differs from that...
We propose a computational and theoretical framework for analyzing rapid coevolutionary dynamics of bacteriophage bacteria in their ecological context. Bacteriophage enter host cells via membrane-bound surface receptors often responsible nutrient uptake. As such, selective pressure will exist the to modify its receptor configuration and, turn, phage tail fiber. A mathematical model these trait adaptations is developed by using adaptive dynamics. Host strains differ efficiency resource uptake...
Abstract Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological life forms on Earth. However, relatively little is known regarding which bacteriophages infect and exploit bacteria. A recent meta-analysis showed that empirically measured phage-bacteria infection networks often significantly nested, average, not modular. perfectly nested network one in phages can be ordered from specialist to generalist such host range of a given phage subset subsequent ordering. The same hypothesized modularity,...
Plant root systems are key drivers of plant function and yield. They also under-explored targets to meet global food energy demands. Many new technologies have been developed characterize crop system architecture (CRSA). These the potential accelerate progress in understanding genetic control environmental response CRSA. Putting this into practice requires methods algorithms analyze CRSA digital images. Most prior approaches solely focused on estimation traits from images, yet no integrated...
Root system growth and development is highly plastic influenced by the surrounding environment. Roots frequently grow in heterogeneous environments that include interactions from neighboring plants physical impediments rhizosphere. To investigate how planting density objects affect root growth, we grew rice a transparent gel close proximity with another plant or object. systems were imaged reconstructed three dimensions. Root–root interaction strength was calculated using quantitative...