Dr. Lyle Simmons

Biography

Lyle Simmons is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan. He has a B.S. in Biology from Alma College and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Michigan State University. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Biology at MIT. His research focuses on genome instability and nucleic acid modifications, particularly how bacterial cells respond to genomic instability. His laboratory utilizes model organisms, specifically Bacillus subtilis, to study the conserved biological mechanisms involved in ribonucleotide excision repair, DNA replication, and DNA damage checkpoints. Simmons' work is notable for employing genetics, biochemistry, and genomics, which reveals the high degree of conservation of pathways between bacteria and eukaryotes, including humans. He is also investigating the roles of uncharacterized genes in DNA repair processes. Simmons has supervised various courses, including Introductory Biology and Biology Seminars, contributing to the academic development of undergraduate and graduate students in his field.

Research Interests

Courses