Wiedenheft Lab
Science is our Medicine
The Wiedenheft Lab strives to understand the evolutionary outcomes of genetic conflict
Overview
Viruses that infect bacteria (i.e., bacteriophages) are the most abundant biological entities on earth and the selective pressures imposed by these pervasive predators have a profound impact on the composition and the behavior of microbial communities in every ecological setting. Work in the Wiedenheft laboratory aims to understand the mechanisms that bacteria use to defend themselves from phage infection and counter mechanisms that phages use to subvert bacterial immune systems. We aim to determine molecular structures of the cellular machines that mediate bacterial immunity and to use these structures to understand function. The scientific culture in the Wiedenheft lab is to understand and engineer cellular machines with new functions for applications in biotechnology and medicine.
Openings
Interested in joining the Wiedenheft lab? Please send an email to Blake Wiedenheft ([email protected]), stating your research interests and experience. Please attach a CV describing your educational accomplishments, publication record, and contact information of your references.
Funding Opportunities (Data Complements of JHU)
Postdoctoral Funding Opportunities: https://research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-opportunities/postdoctoral/
Graduate Student Funding Opportunities: https://research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-opportunities/graduate/
Early Career Funding Opportunities: https://research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-opportunities/early-career/
Explore our research
Mechanisms of bacterial defense andviral counter-defense
We aim to understand the mechanisms that bacteria use to defend themselves from phage infection and counter mechanisms that phages use to subvert bacterial immune systems. Much of the lab focuses on CRISPR systems but we are also interested in other immune pathways. Read more about our research.
Genome engineering
Host-parasite interactions
Our most recent publications
- Cas1 and the Csy complex are opposing regulators of Cas2/3 nuclease activity
- Structure Reveals Mechanisms of Viral Suppressors that Intercept a CRISPR RNA-Guided Surveillance Complex
- Using Cryoem to Understand How Phages Evade Bacterial CRISPR Defense System
- CRISPR control of virulence in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
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The Interfaces of Genetic Conflict Are Hot Spots for Innovation
To view a complete list of publications please visit Dr. Wiedenheft on Google Scholar or PubMed
News
Laina Hall and Pushya Krishna selected for the 2021 Barry M Goldwater Scholarships
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Undergraduate researchers Laina Hall and Pushya Krishna won the prestigious Barry M Goldwater scholarship. Pictured with mentors Dr. Wiedenheft (left) and Andrew Santiago-Frangos (right). The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater. This is awarded to to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences.
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CRISPR's under the big sky
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Dr. Jennifer Doudna- Winner the Stibitz and Wilson award |
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CRISPR conference 2017 was held in Big Sky, Montana |
MSU News
Research in the Wiedenheft lab is supported by
- The National Institutes of Health Grants (INBRE, P20GM103500, P30GM110732-03, R01GM110270, and R01GM108888)
- National Science Foundation EPSCoR (Grant EPS-110134)
- The M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust
- The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- A young investigator award from Amgen
- The Montana State University Agricultural Experimental Station
- Montana University System Research Initiative (51040-MUSRI2015-03)