Research Summary
Zhe Lyu is an Assistant Professor of Microbial Physiology in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. He is a microbiologist by training with expertise in anaerobic and molecular microbiology, microbial physiology and metabolism, and microbial ecology and evolution. He is particularly interested in employing live microbes including both archaea and bacteria as model systems to broadly study the functional roles of oxygen-sensitive microbes across multiple settings such as human health, agriculture, and biotechnology. To accomplish his research goals, Dr. Lyu aspires to 1) integrate cultivation-dependent and -independent approaches to define physiology-relevant microbial phenotypes at the community, population, organismal or molecular levels; 2) apply genetic, biochemical, and omic methods in vitro and in vivo to mechanistically characterize the observed phenotypes; and 3) translate new findings into tangible solutions by harnessing the cross-boundary power of microbes.
Relevance of Research to CGIBD Mission: Dr. Lyu’s research concerns oxygen-sensitive microbes in the gastrointestinal tract which are broadly linked to gastrointestinal diseases such as IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The focus of his research on the functional roles of microbes in human health and disease fits well with the mission of the CGIBD.
CGIBD Focus Area(s): Microbiome, Clinical/Translational Research
Collaborators: Theriot
