Sean Gibbons
Research Interests
Microorganisms form the foundation of all ecosystems on Earth and are
responsible for driving the major biogeochemical cycles. From
generating the air that we breathe and the food that we eat, to
maintaining our health and well-being, microbial communities are
essential components of the biosphere. Due to their size and rapid
generation times, microbial ecosystems are perfect models for tackling
complex ecological or evolutionary questions. My work exploits
microbial systems to gain quantitative insight into the rules
underlying ecological community assembly, stability, and ecosystem
function.
Current Research
My current work focuses on understanding the dynamics of human gut
microbial communities. I am particularly interested in how changes in
microbial frequencies covary within a fluctuating environment, and how
these correlations are related to phylogenetic distance or life history
strategies. I am also working in a mouse gut model to understand how
gut community resilience and resistance to pathogen invasion is eroded
by enviromental perturbations (e.g. antibiotic treatments or changes in
diet).
