Education
- PhD: Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology (University of Minnesota - Twin Cities)
- BS: Molecular & Cellular Biology (University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign)
Courses Taught
- Microbiology
- Microbiology Lab
- General Microbiology
- General Microbiology Lab
- General Biology Lab I
- General Biology Lab II
- Basic R Programming
Research Interests
Microbes shape human life in various ways ranging from promoting health to causing deadly diseases. My research focuses on combating tuberculosis, one of the deadliest infectious diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Mtb is especially challenging due to long treatment times and rising drug resistance. To understand how Mtb evolves resistance, I employ molecular techniques such as transposon mutagenesis, evolution experiments with subinhibitory drug concentrations, PCR, and sequencing-based approaches to identify genes that influence susceptibility against emerging therapeutics.
In addition to my research in Mtb, I believe in supporting all undergraduate research in infectious disease, including projects outside of the scope of my own research program. Such examples include host-pathogen interactions in Porphyromonas species, characterizing nutritional requirements in non-tubercular mycobacteria, and other infectious disease related projects.
Having been formally trained in both wet lab and computational methods, I aim to mentor students in developing skills that they are passionate about, to support their growth, and to help them align their research experience with their career goals.
To learn more about research in the Crooks lab, visit .