Ecosystem Health and Microbiomes
Ecosystems are essential to human survival and well-being, yet their health has been severely impaired by extensive human activities. As a critical component of ecosystems, microbes are both vulnerable to environmental disturbances and capable of mitigating their adverse effects. At the LEAPH Lab, we harness the power of the microbiome (i.e., the complete community of microorganisms in a given environment) to develop innovative, sustainable solutions that protect and restore natural, agricultural, and food ecosystems. Our work integrates field sampling, multi-omics, ecological theories, and machine learning to uncover how microbiomes interact with ecological factors. We then translate these insights into practical, microbiome-based tools to enhance ecosystem health and safeguard ecosystems.
Food Safety and Bacterial Pathogens
Foodborne pathogens impose a significant burden on public health and the global food industry, yet controlling them effectively within agricultural and food systems remains a challenge. We address this challenge by integrating environmental surveillance, whole genome sequencing (WGS), microbial ecology, population genomics, and AI. Our work monitors foodborne pathogens (chiefly Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and pathogenic Escherichia coli) in diverse environmental settings, and identifies the genetic and environmental factors that shape their distribution, adaptation, and transmission. We also develop ecologically informed tools to improve foodborne disease control and support outbreak investigations.
Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious and escalating threat to global health. Although the environment is a significant reservoir of AMR, it remains an underexplored dimension requiring greater investigation. To address this gap, we study AMR in two biological systems: environmental microbiomes and foodborne pathogens. By combining (meta)genomic data analysis with experimental approaches, we aim to uncover the ecological mechanisms driving the persistence, dissemination, and evolution of AMR in natural environments and along the farm-to-fork continuum. We aim to further translate this mechanistic understanding into science-based strategies and practical actions to mitigate AMR threats to public health.