Laura Runyen-Janecky's Lab

Our work seeks to understand how  bacteria survive in many distinct environments using genetic and microbiological techniques.   We use the bacterium, Sodalis glossinidius,  a facultative intracellular bacterium that is a secondary symbiont of the tsetse fly, as a model system.  We have studied the role and regulation of heme and iron tolerance mechanisms of Sodalis.  We are completing work that addresses how Sodalis utlizes sugars, including the chitin-derived N-acetylglucosamine, and have just received NIH funding in 2024 to more thoroughly investigate blood tolerance in Sodalis.  Beginning in 2023, the R-J lab is starting projects in the area of food microbiology, particularly fermentation and cheese microbiology. We are interested in working with cheesemakers and other fermenters to explore interesting and potentially beneficial microbes in fermented foods and to explore the biology of these microbes.  Click the link for the R-J lab web site to learn more.