We investigate how host-associated microbiomes assemble, function, and evolve. Using eusocial bees as a model system, we develop an eco-evolutionary framework to understand the processes shaping host-microbe interactions. We are particularly interested in how host trait evolution, microbial interactions, and host association shape microbiome dynamics and the evolution of microbial symbionts across biological scales, from mobile genetic elements to microbial communities. To investigate these processes, we combine fieldwork, multi-omics, bioinformatics, and microbial assays in vitro and in vivo.
Lílian Caesar 