Petals and Punch-Ups

Orchidaceae is one of the most diverse families in the plant kingdom with at least 28,000+ species identified, with many more being described every year. In addition to natural species, there have been over 100,000 man-made hybrids named and registered since 1856. In this talk, we’ll discuss the diversity of flower forms produced since then; how orchid hybridization works from start to finish using examples I’ve produced in the lab; and how this niche hobby inadvertently led me to my current research as a PhD student here at UChicago.

Our intestines are home to hundreds of species of bacteria that compete with each other for space and nutrients. Many of these microbes have evolved microscopic weapons that they use to protect their niches and kill potential competitors. These antagonistic relationships between bacteria have the power to shape the ecosystem of the gut. Uncovering the secrets of this gut microbiome fight club helps us understand the structure of the gut microbial community, and gives us tools we can harness to shape bacterial populations in our guts and beyond.