Contributor since Fall 2015
Emily S. Melzer
Research Area: Bacterial cell morphology and physiology
Microbes can be fabulous - so tiny, yet so efficient! I currently use super fancy microscopes to study how a group of bacteria called mycobacteria grow, create and maintain their shape, as well as how they protect themselves in hostile environments. These are all important things to know, since this group includes the species Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes the deadly disease tuberculosis.
On a more general level, I am interested in how we can use microbes to do things for us - anything from cleaning up oil spills in the ocean to engineering them to produce milk for us to replace livestock.
My love of microbiology extends to the kitchen as well, where I use microbes to make sourdough bread, vegan cheese and yogurt, and more!