The Bullman Laboratory is an interdisciplinary and highly collaborative team of clinical microbiologists, computational biologists, biochemists and cancer geneticists. A particular focus of our group is understanding the interplay between the microbiota and components of the tumor microenvironment in gastrointestinal cancers.

The core mission of our laboratory is to improve diagnosis and treatment of human cancers to ultimately extend the lives of cancer patients. Our research themes span from the premise that if a bacterial agent can contribute to cancer initiation or progression, then these organisms are viable targets for the prevention and treatment of such cancers.

Using cutting edge technologies and methodologies (such as single cell RNA sequencing and digital spatial profiling), we endeavor to move smoothly between large human data sets and in vivo and in vitro model systems to gain a deeper functional understanding of the tumor microbiota in cancer progression, metastasis and response to treatment.

Project 1: Microbiome Modulation for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer 
Project 2: Assessing the Interplay Between the Microbiota and Chemotherapeutics
Project 3: Identifying the F. nucleatum Accessory Genome and CRC Associated Virulence Factors 
Project 4: Mapping the Location of the Tumor Microbiota