The DAN lab seeks to quantitatively and holistically study microbial metabolism, whether that be in biofuel producers, gut microbes, or model organisms. We integrate systems-level approaches with computational modeling and genetic engineering to understand the effects of environmental changes on microbial metabolism and membrane lipid and fatty acid composition. Our research advances the fields of biofuel engineering, host-gut microbe interactions, and microbiology as a whole.
Our lab is working on developing a variety of biofuel producing microbes, including Zymomonas mobilis, Clostridium thermocellum, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to cleanly and sustainably curb the still overwhelming reliance we have on fossil fuels. Our work advances existing flux control principles and helps develop new ones that are widely applicable to biotechnology and biomedical research.