WELCOME TO THE BUSHLEY LAB!
Research: Research in the Bushley lab addresses how metabolism shapes the evolution of microbial symbioses. Encompassing the spectrum from pathogens to mutualists, microbial symbionts shape biological processes across scales from ecosystems to molecules. Their interactions with other organisms are often governed by chemical signals, such as the exchange of chemical goods among mutualists or the production of toxins by pathogens. Fungi, in particular, are one of the most biochemically diverse kingdoms of life, producing a diverse array of enzymes and bioactive natural products, many of which function in pathogenesis or mutualism. Our research focuses on fungal symbionts of invertebrates (e.g. insects, nematodes, mites, spiders), which range from host-specialists that colonize only a single insect species to those that can interact with a broad range of hosts across the domains of life. Many invertebrate pathogenic fungi also colonize plants as endophytes or live as saprobes in competition with other microorganisms in soil. Research in the Bushley lab addresses three main questions: I) What biotic and abiotic factors structure the taxonomic, functional genetic, and metabolic diversity of microbial communities associated with invertebrate hosts? II) What role does microbial metabolism play in host-associations and multi-trophic interactions? and III) What evolutionary processes shape fungal metabolism at the individual, population, and macroevolutionary scales? Translational aspects of our research seek to use bacteria and fungi and/or their metabolites for biological control of insect and nematode pests in agriculture, as sources of novel pharmaceuticals in medicine, and as tools for sustainable management of invasive pests in natural ecosystems.
Diversity Statement: The Bushley lab is committed to creating an inclusive environment that promotes the successful scientific careers of people of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identifications. As such, we have implemented policies to create a lab culture that values diversity and does not tolerate discrimination that stems from perceived or unconscious assumptions about individuals based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identification.