Prof. Itay Halevy

We study the physical conditions and microbial activity in present and past environments by investigating chemical and isotopic signals in natural materials. Some of the largest isotopic signals are generated by microbial metabolic activity. To decipher these signals, we must mechanistically understand the environmental-metabolic controls on their formation and persistence. We do this by developing and investigating isotopically-enabled metabolic network models. To date, we have used such models in "inward-facing" investigations of microbial physiology, ecology and evolution, as well as in "outward-facing" investigations of environmental conditions and global biogeochemical cycles. We currently seek students with an interest in computational biology approaches to microbial metabolism and environmental microbiology.