Protozoan and Microbiome Interactions with Their Host

Bineyam Taye, an Associate Professor of Biology at Colgate University, in collaboration with Emily R. Davenport, an Assistant Professor of Biology at Pennsylvania State University, has received a grant of $100,500 for their project titled "Protozoan and Microbiome Interactions with Their Host: The Missing Evidence". The project will utilize DNA and RNA sequencing, as well as transcriptome analysis, to investigate the roles of pathogenic and commensal protozoa in shaping gut microbiota composition and their interactions with the host. This comprehensive approach goes beyond examining individual microbes and their gene interactions during infections. It will allow for a better understanding of how protozoan infections impact microbiome composition and function at a community level. Ultimately, our goal is to develop a tripartite network that links the host, microbiome, and protozoan infection.