emergence and evolution of bacterial pathogens
Since the dawn of humanity, bacteria have devised numerous ways to effectively colonize us.
research
Our primary scientific interest lies at the interface between molecular evolution and pathogenesis.
selected publications
Modular small RNA drives the emergence of virulence traits and environmental trade-offs in Vibrio cholerae
Balasubramanian et al. Nature Communications. 2026
Allelic variations and gene cluster modularity act as nonlinear bottlenecks for cholera emergence
López-Pérez, Balasubramanian et al. PNAS. 2025
Ecological diversification reveals routes of pathogen emergence in endemic populations
López-Pérez et al. PNAS. 2021
lab news
Welcoming our newest team member and Summer Plus Fellow, Kate!
May 26, 2026
Welcome to the lab, Kate! We are excited to have you join our team through the prestigious St. Jude Summer Plus Fellowship.
St. Jude news release highlights our latest study
May 14, 2026
A new St. Jude news release features our recent study on a “hidden” small RNA called OueS that determines if the cholera bacterium can successfully
Our latest paper is published in Nature Communications!
May 14, 2026
How do environmental bacteria evolve into human pathogens? Our recent study reveals that a unique, bimodular small RNA called OueS drives the evolution of toxigenic