Microbiome Initiative Fellows 2022

Meet our fellows and learn what they're working on!

Colleen Bove

Working with the Davies and Segrè Labs

What will you be working on as a Microbiome Fellow?

Assessing algal and microbial symbiont communities of Caribbean corals across multiple ecological scales and understanding the role that environmental conditions may have on these symbioses.

What do you like to do while out of the lab?

I really enjoy hiking with my dog, brewing beer, and playing games when I'm not working.

Jason Samaroo

Working with the Larkin and Chen Labs

What will you be working on as a Microbiome Fellow?

I will be establishing an experimental technique to measure the tensile forces generated during biofilm formation in single-species and inter-species microbial colonies. Through measurement of mechanical forces generated within single species, and multispecies biofilm of B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, B. thuringiensis, B. megaterium I will determine the correlation between physical forces exerted during biofilm formation and features of architecture driven by social behaviors of microbial colonies.

What do you like to do while out of the lab?

In my free time I enjoy reading, writing, playing piano, and skateboarding.

Can you recommend a good book?
My favorite book is Ishmael by Daniel Quin


Erin Frates

Working with the Marlow and Larkin Labs

What will you be working on as a Microbiome Fellow?

As a fellow, I will be studying microbial communities grown on mineral printed, electrically active surfaces. This work will evaluate changes in microbial abundances, community composition, and metabolic activity according to variations in redox potential, as well as how biologic and electrical activity alters mineral characteristics.

What drew you to study the Microbiome?

I am fascinated by the strange adaptions & diverse metabolisms that allow microbes to thrive in seemingly extreme environments.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy traveling, music, & theatre.

Recommend a book, song or podcast:

"Tardigrade Song" by Cosmo Sheldrake


Samantha Fletcher

Working with the Zaman and Khalil Labs

What will you be working on as a Microbiome Fellow?

Antibiotic resistance and patient environment (including malnutrition and waste water exposure)

What drew you to study the Microbiome?

I am interested in thinking about diseases and treatments, the microbiome is so ingrained in about everything in the body so I am really interested in researching more about that center.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Hiking, playing with my cats, seeing friends

Jing Zhang

Working with the Segrè and Densmore Labs

What will you be working on as a Microbiome Fellow?

Microbial interactions in a synethic soil community, microbial metabolic preferences and community assembly, microfluidics platform development for microbial interaction measurements

What do you like to do while out of the lab?

Birding!