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Flying Spaghetti Monster meet synthetic
biology? Caffeine-addicted E. coli
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We are broadly interested in understanding evolution as a creative force. We use experiments with microorganisms and molecules to watch evolution as it happens and are particularly interested in understanding the genetics of adaptive trajectories, especially how the ability to evolve can itself can evolve due to mutations that alter mutation rates and genetic architecture. We employ molecular systems biology approaches, including developing tools for analyzing next-generation DNA sequencing data, and synthetic biology approaches, such as adding new chemical and genetic capabilities, in these studies. Our eventual goals are to be better able to manipulate evolutionary processes to produce desirable biotechnology solutions and to anticipate and frustrate the evolution of pathogens and cancers.

Read more about our current Research Interests

May 2013: Graduate students Michael Hammerling and Brian Renda pass their Part B Exams and are admitted to candidacy.

April 2013: Graduate student Gabriel Suarez and postdoc Dr. Dennis Mishler join the lab.

March 2013: Paper describing "addicted" E. coli that can be used for decaffeination and measuring the caffeine content of beverages paper published in ACS Synthetic Biology. Radio Interview | Slate Video

January 2013: Dr. Barrick appears in the Introduction to BEACON video which explains the goals of this multi-institution NSF center to study evolution in action.

December 2012: The Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) funds research in the Barrick lab to study "Deep sequencing oncoviral evolvomes as a personalized cancer diagnostic tool".

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Contributors to this topic

JeffreyBarrick, PeterThoeny, MichaelHammerling, TWikiContributor, CraigBarnhart, KateElston, AlvaroRodriguez, IsaacGifford, AustinMeyer, GabrielSuarez, AurkoDasgupta, BrianRenda

Topic revision: r83 - 2013-05-19 - 19:56:48 - Main.JeffreyBarrick