Our Research

The human body contains more microbes than eukaryotic cells and their metabolism directly influences human health. Yet deciphering the key microbial metabolic activities that contribute to pathophysiology remains difficult because of our reliance on model systems.

The goal of the Mayers lab is to address this challenge by designing approaches to define the fundamental “rules of the game” that enable microbes to survive and cause disease in complex host environments.

We use an interdisciplinary approach combining in vivo multi-omics with models of disease, biochemistry, genetics, and chemical biology to investigate topics ranging from acute infections to chronic disease-associated shifts in microbiomes. We are particularly interested in projects with implications for antibiotic resistance, structural lung disease, and cancer development. Ultimately, we believe that characterizing the pathways we uncover will provide a better understanding of disease biology and reveal new opportunities for clinical intervention.