Gina Lewin

Research Interests:
I am passionate about studying how interactions between organisms influence their evolution and their behavior. I believe that to truly understand microbial processes, including those involved in human health and disease, organisms must be studied in a community context. During my postdoc in the Whiteley Lab, I am studying microbe-microbe interactions within the oral cavity. I am interested in how these interactions influence the behavior and virulence of pathogens implicated in periodontitis (gum disease). Specifically, I am dissecting these medically-important polymicrobial infections using cutting-edge techniques such as Tn-seq and RNA-seq, as well as animal models and microbial genetics.

About Gina:
I am originally from Hopewell, New Jersey. I moved to Pomona College in Claremont, CA for my undergraduate, during which I researched isopod evolution, the microbial ecology of mud volcanoes, and synthetic biology. After receiving a BA in molecular biology from Pomona in 2010, I joined the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I completed my PhD in Dr. Cameron Currie’s lab, where I studied the ecology and evolution of microbial cellulose degradation in insect-associated niches. In October 2016, I joined the Whiteley Lab as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin then starting September 2017, at Georgia Institute of Technology. When I am not in the lab, I love being outside, exploring new cities, and spending time with friends. Find me on twitter @Gina_Lewin.

Publications:
Click here for a list of publications from Gina.