Gibbs Lab

Deciphering social behaviors in bacteria

University of California, Berkeley

The Gibbs Lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial social behaviors such as collective motility, competition, and communication. We are particularly interested in determining how individual agency and community interactions influence population dynamics and group structure. We use quantitative metrics to understand these qualitative behaviors, employing techniques from microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, microscopy, phylogenetics, and genomics.