Our laboratory studies microbial biochemistry with an emphasis on understanding the molecular mechanisms that give rise to phenotypes in bacteria. Although our current understanding of the complexity of a bacterium is still emerging, it is becoming clear that the genetic and biochemical mechanisms that govern cellular homeostasis are far more sophisticated than we had imagined. Our approach to the study of bacteria is driven by the development of new capabilities for studying single cells or small groups of cells and the application of these techniques to dissect the molecular choreography within the cell. This research is interdisciplinary and is based on a fusion of techniques from biology, physics, engineering, and chemistry.

The top-level goal of our research is to understand how the behavior and physiology of bacteria is encoded at the molecular level. The results of these projects drive the application phase of our research, which is aimed at using bacterial cells to produce new materials. We summarize several areas we are working on below.

Weibel Lab website: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/faculty/weibel/