Dr. Laurie Comstock

Biography

Laurie Comstock is a Professor at the University of Chicago, specializing in microbiology. Her lab investigates the human intestinal microbiota, focusing on understanding the complex dynamics of microbial communities and their impact on health and disease prevention. By employing methods such as microbiological studies, genetic and biochemical analyses, and genomic approaches, her research aims to decipher how bacterial members of the gut ecosystem interact. Comstock has discovered various antimicrobial proteins that bacteria utilize to compete within the microbiota and is researching their mechanisms of action and ecological properties to translate these findings into health benefits for humans. Her lab is particularly interested in the evolution of gut microbes and the horizontal transfer of genetic elements among bacterial species that influence individual gut microbiota phenotypes. Comstock’s academic training includes a postdoctoral fellowship at Brigham Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, along with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Wake Forest University Medical Center. She has received multiple NIH grants for her research efforts in understanding Bacteroides and their roles in gut health.

Research Interests

Experience