Bruce LevinSamuel C. Dobbs Professor

Education

• B.S., University of Michigan, 1963
• Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1967

Research Area

• Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology
• Population Biology, Evolution, and Ecology
• Computational Biology

Graduate Program Affiliation

• Population Biology, Ecology and Evolution
• Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Research Description

Our research includes mathematical and computer simulation modeling and in vitro and laboratory animal experiments on the population and evolutionary biology of bacteria and their viruses and accessory genetic elements. In addition to investigations addressing precious academic ecological and evolutionary questions, like the evolution of sex, self-killing toxins and cannibalism in bacteria, our research also includes the application of population dynamic and evolutionary theory and experiments to health-related problems.

Among the latter are studies of the ecology and epidemiology of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, antimicrobial chemotherapy and the evolution of resistance, the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of antibiotics and the within-host population and evolutionary dynamics of bacterial infections and their treatment with antibiotics.

Research Lab Description

We do theoretical and empirical studies of the population biology and evolution of bacteria and their accessory genetic elements and the population dynamics, evolution, and control of infectious disease.

Publications