Jannell Bazurto, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
B.S. Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Florida Atlantic University
I am a bacterial physiologist with a rich background in using mutant analysis to understand cellular metabolism in model bacteria. I performed my thesis work at the University of Wisconsin with Diana Downs, where I studied metabolic integration of thiamine biosynthesis in Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli. During my postdoctoral work, with Christopher Marx at the University of Idaho, I integrated omics approaches into my work to characterize experimentally evolved mutants to understand the formaldehyde stress response in Methylobacterium extorquens.
Research Staff
Jan Kucinski, Postdoctoral researcher
Zak Hying, Graduate Student (MICaB)
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
M.S. Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
B.S. Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
A bacterial physiologist by nature I enjoy thinking about how bacteria acquire and use diverse carbon
sources. I gained experience in genetic approaches to study bacteria at the University of Wisconsin
Milwaukee in Mark McBride’s lab where I studied the connection between the Type IX secretion system
and gliding motility in Flavobacterium johnsoniae, and in Sonia Bardy’s lab where I studied the
chemotaxis and surface motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In the Bazurto lab I am leveraging my
genetics experience, combined with mutation analysis, -omics, and experimental evolution approaches
to understand the mechanisms M. extorquens uses to transition from multi-carbon to single-carbon
sources. Outside of the lab I am an avid cyclist, home brewer, musician and fan of Liverpool FC.
Chandler Hellenbrand, Research technician
Undergraduate Students
Madison Shackelford, undergraduate researcher
Tyler Miller, undergraduate researcher
Morgan Swanson, undergraduate researcher
Sarah Khaskel, undergraduate researcher
Lab Alumni
Research Staff
Chin Yi Loh
Jaye McEvoy
Undergraduate Students
Alexa Peterson
Abigail Jackson
Jennifer Lorenzana
Rotation Students
Leslie Day (PMB)
Joseph Bravo (MicE)
Tony Zmuda (PMB)
High School Mentee
Jalen Nelson