Applied Microbial Engineering
We are a team driven by a shared curiosity on molecular systems in marine bacteria and their potential applications. We currently focus on engineering marine bacteria into microbial cell factories to discover new antibiotics (or other bioactives) from marine ecosystems. The long-term goal is to enable our ability to combat infectious diseases.
Marine microorganisms, found from surface waters to the deep sea, play critical roles in biogeochemical cycles, such as the carbon cycle, and are important players in global climate. They also harbor an immense reservoir of enzymatic and bioactive potential that remains largely unexplored. Our work combines marine bacterial ecology with molecular and genetic engineering to uncover, understand, and reprogram these bacterial genetic systems. This will open new opportunities to discover enzymes and drug candidates that can benefit both human well-being and planetary health.
Our broader mission is to unlock the untapped genetic potential of marine microbial life and harness it through biotechnology and synthetic biology to address global challenges in medicine and environmental sciences. By bridging fundamental discovery with applied engineering, we aim to transform marine microbial diversity into biosolutions for a healthier planet and society.
Our research focuses on:
- Engineering marine bacteria into programmable, high-performance cell factories
- Developing molecular toolkits for precise control and editing of non-model marine bacteria
- Discovering novel biosystems and pathways with potential in health, climate, and industrial innovation
