The Bisson Lab’s model organism, Haloferax volcanii, undergoes remarkable morphological transitions between two primary states: motile rods and sessile disks. My work aims to understand how and why this transition occurs. What causes a cell to change shape, and by what mechanisms does this transition take place? Using various techniques, including live-cell imaging, microfluidics, and cloning, I study the archaeal cytoskeleton, S-layer, and responses to external cues to solve these problems.
Outside of the lab, I also work as a Science Communications Lab Fellow, where I help members of the scientific community at all levels learn to convey their work clearly and effectively. Working at the interface of soft matter physics, cell biology, and biochemistry has helped me appreciate the interactions between multiple fields and how to communicate to an audience across disciplines.