Mark Mimee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, will present.

Synthetic Biology Approaches to Understand and Engineer the Gut Microbiota

Abstract: Microbes that inhabit the human body are integral to human health and are implemented in many diseases, that range from inflammatory bowel disease, autism, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Due to its high connectivity with human physiology, precise manipulation of the microbiota has therapeutic potential across multiple physiological axes. Here, I will discuss synthetic biology technologies that can be applied to engineer and better understand the microbiota, including genetic modification of commensal organisms, bacteriophage engineering, and micro-bio-electronic sensors to monitor gastrointestinal health. These efforts set the stage for fundamental mechanistic studies of host-microbe interaction, as well as translational efforts to advance cellular and viral microbiome therapies to the clinic.
 

Bio:
Mark Mimee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. His interest in microbial life began in Montreal, Canada, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology & Immunology at McGill University. Inspired by the nascent field of synthetic biology, Mark pursued studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing his PhD in Microbiology with Dr. Timothy Lu as an HHMI International Student Fellow and a Qualcomm Innovation Fellow. His research focuses on developing strategies to precisely engineer the activity and composition of the microbiota.  His long-term vision is to implement these technologies to chart new basic and translational studies to exploit the microbiota for human health. Outside of the lab, Mark enjoys baking savoury pies, fermenting food and drink, playing double bass, and trying to stay in shape.
 

Mark Mimee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, will present.

Synthetic Biology Approaches to Understand and Engineer the Gut Microbiota

Abstract: Microbes that inhabit the human body are integral to human health and are implemented in many diseases, that range from inflammatory bowel disease, autism, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Due to its high connectivity with human physiology, precise manipulation of the microbiota has therapeutic potential across multiple physiological axes. Here, I will discuss synthetic biology technologies that can be applied to engineer and better understand the microbiota, including genetic modification of commensal organisms, bacteriophage engineering, and micro-bio-electronic sensors to monitor gastrointestinal health. These efforts set the stage for fundamental mechanistic studies of host-microbe interaction, as well as translational efforts to advance cellular and viral microbiome therapies to the clinic.
 

Bio:
Mark Mimee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. His interest in microbial life began in Montreal, Canada, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology & Immunology at McGill University. Inspired by the nascent field of synthetic biology, Mark pursued studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing his PhD in Microbiology with Dr. Timothy Lu as an HHMI International Student Fellow and a Qualcomm Innovation Fellow. His research focuses on developing strategies to precisely engineer the activity and composition of the microbiota.  His long-term vision is to implement these technologies to chart new basic and translational studies to exploit the microbiota for human health. Outside of the lab, Mark enjoys baking savoury pies, fermenting food and drink, playing double bass, and trying to stay in shape.