Our ResearchIn the Schomer lab, we are motivated to understand the microbial ecology and bacterial physiology behind the formation and maintenance of soil microbiomes. We use molecular and genetic techniques to understand how bacteria integrate complex environmental and host signals into behavioral and metabolic responses. Motile, soil-dwelling bacteria exploit chemotaxis (chemical-driven migration up or down gradients) to move to suitable environments, such as the rhizosphere (root surface). Our work deciphers the mechanisms that allow bacteria to perceive complex signals to locate and colonize preferred niches like the rhizosphere or host plants.
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