Megan Boulette
Megan in Rome.
EDUCATION:
B.S. (Zoology) University of Texas, 1998
Ph.D. (Molecular
Genetics and Microbiology), University of Texas at Austin, 2007
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
My research focuses on determining factors that are important for Shigella virulence that are specifically induced when the bacteria are in oxygen-deplete environments. Since the human intestine, as well as the cytoplasm of human intestinal epithelial cells therein, is perceived to be microaerobic or anaerobic, oxygen availability is an environmental factor to which bacteria must adapt. Additionally, low oxygen availability is a condition that induces virulence genes in other bacterial species. Therefore, oxygen, or lack thereof, is likely to play an important role in the regulation of Shigella virulence genes. I am currently testing bacterial growth in cultured human intestinal epithelial cells and in continuous culture environments using a chemostat to maintain anaerobiosis to investigate my aims.
EMAIL ADDRESS: mlwhitney@mail.utexas.edu
