Microorganisms rarely exist in isolation. Our lab studies how fungi interact with bacteria, other fungi, and their hosts, with a particular interest in the chemical mechanisms that mediate competition and cooperation. We combine culture-based experiments, metabolomics, mass spectrometry imaging, and genomic approaches to investigate how microbial interactions alter the production and activity of secondary metabolites.

One focus of our research is understanding how competition between microorganisms can reveal previously unrecognized antimicrobial compounds and interactions. We maintain a large collection of environmentally derived fungi that provides an opportunity to experimentally explore interactions across diverse fungal lineages. By pairing fungi with bacterial and fungal competitors, we investigate how microbial interactions influence metabolite production, antimicrobial activity, and competitive outcomes.

Our recent work has shown that interactions between fungi and bacteria can produce chemical environments with biological activities that cannot be predicted from either organism alone. Using spatially resolved mass spectrometry and experimental assays, we are investigating how metabolites produced by one organism can alter the activity of compounds produced by another, including synergistic interactions that substantially increase antimicrobial activity. These findings provide a framework for studying the ecology and evolution of microbial competition while also identifying compounds and interactions with potential applications in agriculture and medicine.

Fungi secreting antifungal and antibacterial products in vitro. Images by Mich Bensinger and Uma Crouch