David Hershey
Assistant Professor of Bacteriology
Mechanisms of surface colonization in bacteria
Assembly of complex polysaccharides
Regulation of motility behaviors
(608) 262-2088
4476 Microbial Sciences Building
The Hershey laboratory seeks to uncover fundamental principles of colonization. Bacteria can grow in association with solid substrates that range in complexity from simple abiotic materials to specific human tissues. We use the freshwater bacterium Caulobacter crescentus as a model to understand how bacteria interact with surfaces. We apply genetic, biochemical, cell biological and structural approaches to investigate:
(i) how cells sense mechanical, chemical and social cues in their environments
(ii) how diverse environmental stimuli are integrated to control surface-behaviors
(iii) how the cell surface is modified to promote favorable interactions with target substrates
Transitioning to a surface-associated lifestyle requires precise developmental programs that fundamentally restructure the cell and its physiology. Numerous internal and external cues influence the colonization sequence, and elaborate signaling networks process these diverse stimuli to orchestrate surface adaptation. We aim to illuminate how complex sets of environmental stimuli are integrated to coordinate surface-behaviors and how surface adaptation is actuated across a range of spatial and temporal scales.
Start and Promotion Dates
- Assistant Professor: 2021
Education
B.S., Biochemistry, Iowa State University 2010
Ph.D., Microbiology, University of California – Berkeley 2016
Postdoctoral Research: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Chicago
- Amanda Appel – Grad Student
- Alex Goetsch – Research Specialist
- Chandler Hellenbrand – Grad Student
- Sely Peña-Rivera – Grad Student
- Rachel Salemi – Postdoc
- Guy Sobol – Postdoc
- Boqin Yang – Grad Student