“Microbes and Biomechanics”

When we think about bacteria we normally think about disease causing bacteria and how we eradicate them with cleaners and antibiotics. But bacteria aren't all bad. In my lab we study how we can use bacteria to improve human health and the environment. Half of my laboratory focuses on how we can use bacteria within the gut microbiome to promote the health of bones and joints and improve the success of orthopaedic surgery.  The ability of the gut microbiome to modulate the health of bones and joints is exciting because the bacteria within the gut microbiome can be manipulated with innocuous interventions like probiotics. I discuss some of work showing that manipulations of the gut microbiome can modify the material properties of bone – either decreasing or increasing ultimate strength. This work is exciting in suggesting the feasibility of an entirely new strategy for treating osteoporosis that focuses on improving the material properties of the bone rather than bone density.  The other half of my laboratory focuses on the emerging field of Engineering Living Materials – materials created for traditional engineering applications (buildings, vehicles, etc.) in which the presence of living organisms is used to enhance function. We have approached this problem from a materials science perspective, focusing on ways of keeping resident microbes alive after implementation. Additionally, we have discovered the first mechanically controlled gene response in bacteria, which we can use for creating living, mechanosensitive materials.