Leigh Lab : People

J o h n    L e i g h    L a b

University of Washington Department of Microbiology

Main Links

Research

Methanococcus maripaludis

The Lab

Email the Director :
John Leigh, Ph.D.
leighj@u.washington.edu

People

From left to right - Andy, Erik, Jeremy, John, Tom, and Aaron Not Pictured: Brian, Neil, Pete W.

June

I am an Assistant Research Scientist in the lab. I am in charge of running and maintaining the lab’s chemostats and I am interested in regulation in response to different growth conditions in Methanococcus maripaludis. Top

Kyle

I am a Graduate student in the lab. My thesis project involves understanding and characterizing novel paths electron flow and energy conservation in methanogenesis. I am also interested in utilizing Methanococcus maripaludis for the production of biofuels such as hydrogen and methane. I participate in the University of Washington Astrobiology Program . Top

Brian

I am a Research Scientist and Lab Manager. I have developed a set of genetic tools that will allow us to make markerless mutations, lac fusions and to complement by utilizing a negative selection strategy in Methanococcus maripaludis. I have since begun work studying post translational regulation of nitrogenase in M. maripaludis. Top

Tom

My work focuses on the areas of nitrogen and hydrogen regulation in M. maripaludis. I am characterizing NrpR, a novel archaeal transcriptional regulator, and its mechanism of gene regulation. In the area of hydrogen regulation, my study revolves around the identification of the signal(s) for hydrogen starvation as well as the mechanisms of gene regulation. Another interest is in the applied aspects of M. maripaludis metabolism. Top

Phoebe

Major: microbiology Year: senior Top

Dan

Major: biology Year: senior Top

John

John Leigh received his Ph.D. at the University of Illinois working with Ralph Wolfe. He did a postdoc with Graham Walker at MIT, then moved to his faculty position at the University of Washington. John's lab has been working on regulation in Methanococcus maripaludis since 1994, and this remains his main passion. He also enjoys hiking and Astrobiology field trips. Recently, for his 50th birthday, the lab presented him with a large birthday "card" written in luminescent bacteria, picturing his favorite coenzyme, methanofuran.

Former Lab Members

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Sujung

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Jeremy

I joined the Leigh lab in the summer of 2001. My thesis project involves understanding post-translational regulation of nitrogen fixation in M. maripaludis. I am also involved in the UW-Seattle Astrobiology program: http://depts.washington.edu/astrobio/ Top

Erik

I received my bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvey Mudd College and my PhD in genetics from Harvard. My post doctoral work in John Leigh's lab focuses on transcriptional regulation by hydrogen as well as the genome sequencing and RNA array projects. Top

Aaron

I received my undergraduate degree in 2003 from Swarthmore College, where I majored in Biology and minored in Astronomy. For the last three years, I was a Biology and Physics teacher at the Princeton Science Academy. I have just joined the Microbiology Department here at UW as a graduate student and have been working in this lab since June. Top

Andy

I am currently an undergrad here at the university. I am studying transcriptional regulation in m. maripaludis and will be graduating this fall (06). In my spare time I try make sure the people below me don't screw up too much. Top

Quy

Name: Dong Quy Nguyen
Major: microbiology
Year: senior
Hobbies: enjoy playing anything that can get more oxygen into my brain!!
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Pete

I'm a senior undergrad majoring in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology with a minor in chemistry. I'll be done with UW after winter, and will be checking out graduate school. Top

Neil

I am a current undergrad studying biochemistry, I am looking into continuing my education in graduate studies. You can reach me at neilw@u.washington.edu Top