PI: Dr. Annette R. Rowe (Annie)
I fell into my love of the microbial world at a young age. In my youth being the offspring of two physicians, I found myself fascinated with the microbes (mainly viruses and bacteria) that can wreak havoc on our bodies. However, these pathogens really make up a small (though not unimportant) part of the microbial world. And the unseen majority of microbes can often have profound effects, that are essential to our lives and the health of our planet. Combining this realization with discovering a real love for molecular biology and biochemistry, the pursuit of studying microbes and their metabolism became obvious—because that is where all the crazy cool stuff is happening. The diversity of microbes and their corresponding physiologies or metabolisms (things they eat and breath) are numerous, and I’m pretty sure will keep me busy for as long time.
My research history has been very cross-disciplinary, though my focus has always been on the microbial world. I’ve worked in laboratory settings and performed research in Molecular and Cell biology, Ecology and Evolution, Environmental Engineering, Soil Sciences, Marine Ecology, Earth Sciences and most recently Biophysics.
Postdocs:
Josh Sackett
Josh received a Masters for the University of Colorado, Denver, and his PhD from UNLV working with Duane Moser at the Desert Research Institute. He has worked on a variety of microbial ecology projects in bioremediation and deep subsurface microbiology including working with the NASA Astrobiology Institute Life Underground team. In 2020 he received an NSF postdoctoral fellowship to work on electron transfer in marine sediment microbial communities.
Morgen Clark
Morgen received her PhD from Michigan State University studying metal detoxification by electroactive bacteria with Gemma Reguera in the Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology Department. In the Rowe lab, she is working on characterizing genes involved in extracellular electron uptake in archaeal methanogens in the genus Methanosarcina.
Graduate Students:
Allie Brown
Allie received her BS in Microbiology from Miami University of Ohio. She is a PhD student in the MGI department working on novel mechanisms of extracellular electron uptake in marine sediment Microbes.
Chris Chavteur
Chris received dual degrees in Chemistry and Microbiology from the University of Washington. He is PhD student in the MGI department working on characterization of genes involved in Electron Uptake in Shewanella.
Lauren Littler
Lauren received her undergraduate BA from Central College, Pella Iowa, in Environmental Sustainability and Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She is a PhD student in the MGI department, currently working on BONCAT techniques with marine sediment alkaliphiles.
Undergraduate
Morgan Brown
MGI major at MSU, running track and developing genetic techniques in wild microbes.
Lab Alumni
Postdocs:
Nitin Kamble (2020)- now working as at postdoc at UC medical school
Saranya Sriram (2024)- working in UC in environmental engineering
Graduate students:
Leah Trutschel (2022), PhD, Postdoctoral work at the US EPA
Linda Vu ( 2022) MS, applying to PhD programs this year!
Mehdi Alibaglouei (2023) MS, Working with a start up company in DC
Undergraduate Students:
Anirudh Agaram–figuring it out
Jackson Quinn- defended Masters of Engineering at UC in 2026
Vageesha Herath – pursuing graduate school in chemistry at Emory 2022
Anna Cunnane – starting in UC’s medical school masters program 2022
Ruchita Solanki – started graduate school at U. Calgary 2022
Jorge Vinales – Md/Phd University of Michigan 2020
Alexandra Marquardt – PA school 2019
Edmund Leach – working for Medpace 2019
High School Students
Kayla Betts -started at Washington University, St. Louis Fall 2022