MICHAEL F. FREEMAN

Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics

PhD, Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 2008

mffreema@umn.edu
freemanlab.umn.edu 

Research Interests

Natural product biosynthesis, microbial genetics, targeted metagenomics; discovery and heterologous expression of pathways and genes involved in the biosynthesis of metabolites from unique microbial sources, investigation of peptide-based metabolites and pathways invoking radical-mediated chemistry.

Bio

Michael Freeman is interested in how small molecules known as natural products are made in the environment. His lab is especially interested in natural products produced by uncultivated microbial ‘dark matter’ and those produced by unconventional bacterial and fungal sources. Broad-scale, Mike’s research aims to tackle the exponentially expanding genomic universe for the discovery of new enzymology and therapeutics.

JEFFREY A. GRALNICK

Professor
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

PhD, Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin Madison, 2003

gralnick@umn.edu
cbs.umn.edu/gralnick-lab/home

Research Interests

Microbial physiology, synthetic biology, geomicrobiology; developing strains, tools and techniques for increasing the robustness of using Shewanella for metabolic engineering and downstream applications in bioenergy (microbial fuel cells), bioremediation, and biocatalysis.

Bio

In his research, Jeff Gralnick strives to integrate both classical and modern molecular approaches to understand how bacteria influence our planet and how they can be engineered for applications in bioremediation, bioenergy and biocatalysis. His lab uses Shewanella bacteria to research electron shuttling with flavins and synthetic biology in environmental bacteria. Jeff has also explored microbes throughout Minnesota, namely in the Soudan Iron Mine in northern Minnesota and around Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi.

BEN HACKEL

Associate Professor
Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science

PhD, Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009

hackel@umn.edu
research.cems.umn.edu/hackel

Research Interests

Protein engineering technologies to develop physiological molecular targeting agents for molecular diagnostics and targeted therapy with a focus on oncology and infectious disease.

Bio

In his research, Ben Hackel applies protein engineering technologies to develop physiological molecular targeting agents for molecular diagnostics and targeted therapy, with a focus on oncology and infectious disease. His lab balances (1) fundamental study of molecular evolution and protein biophysics, which empowers protein engineering efforts; and (2) application of these advances to develop non-invasive diagnostics and therapeutics for clinical challenges in oncology and infectious disease.

TRINITY HAMILTON

Associate Professor
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

PhD, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Montana State University, 2012

trinityh@umn.edu
the-fringe-lab.com 

Research Interests

Microbial photosynthesis and global biogeochemical cycles; genomic, functional, and evolutionary studies of complex microbial ecosystems, microbial ecology, and evolution including Earth’s earliest phototrophs and their contribution to biogeochemical cycling: past, present, and future.

Bio

Trinity Hamilton’s research focuses on microbial photosynthesis and global biogeochemical cycles. In their work, the Hamilton lab studies the functions and interactions of microorganisms in natural and engineered systems and how microbial communities respond and adapt to environmental change. Trinity is particularly interested in life at the fringe, including redox gradients and temperature extremes. Her lab uses traditional microbiology and molecular techniques, as well as next generation -omics approaches in combination with high resolution geochemical and geological data.

WILL HARCOMBE

Associate Professor
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior

PhD, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Texas Austin, 2009

harcombe@umn.edu
wrharcombe.org

Research Interests

Cooperation and conflict, eco-evolutionary feedback, microbial communities, microbial interactions, and systems biology; interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes across multiple levels of biological organization with computational approaches to quantitatively investigate how behavior of metabolic networks influences the emergent properties of complex cells and ecosystems.

Bio

In his work, Will Harcombe uses synthetic communities to mechanistically dissect the interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes across multiple levels of biological organization. His lab uses computational approaches to quantitatively investigate how the behavior of metabolic networks influences the emergent properties of complex systems from cells and ecosystems.