Michelle Gibbs headshot
Michelle Gibbs
Department of Biological Sciences
Assistant Research Professor


Office: 307 Rouse Life Sciences Bldg.

Address: 101 Rouse Life Sciences Bldg.
Auburn University, AL 36849

Email: mrg0081@auburn.edu


Education
Postdoc - UCLA
Postdoc - NICHHD, NIH
Ph.D. - The Ohio State University
B.S. - Miami University (OH)


Research and Teaching Interests

My current research involves understanding how eukaryotic microorganisms adapt to changes in their environment by altering gene expression patterns. Specifically, I am studying the impact of splicing inactivation on ribosome biogenesis and translation. My postdoctoral studies build upon my dissertation research which focused on characterizing roles of conserved enzymes in ribosome assembly. I aim to continue my work in understanding ribosome biogenesis under environmental flux by studying the mechanisms behind adaptation to nutrient starvation. I am committed to combining undergraduate teaching and research. I would like to focus my research efforts on training undergraduate students to understand the biochemical and genetic techniques and concepts that will help them thrive in their next career steps. I am also interested in continuing enhance science education through curriculum development and broadening the CURE programs at Auburn. 


Selected Publications

Liu Y, DeMario S, He K, Gibbs M.R., Barr KW, Chanfreau GF. (2022) Splicing inactivation generates hybrid mRNA-snoRNA transcripts targeted by cytoplasmic RNA decay. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 119(31):e2202473119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2202473119. PMID: 35878033; PMCID: PMC9351541. 

Gibbs M.R., Chanfreau, G.F. (2022) UPF1 adds an m6A feather to its (de)cap. Cell Reports. 39(8):110898. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110898. PMID: 35613576. 

Gibbs M.R., Moon, K.M., Warner, B.R., Chen, M., Bundschuh, R., Foster, L.J., Fredrick,K. (2020) Functional analysis of BipA in E. coli reveals the natural plasticity of 50S subunit assembly. J Mol Biol 432(19): 5259-5272. 

Gibbs, M.R., and Fredrick, K. (2018) Roles of elusive translational GTPases come to light and inform on the process of ribosome biogenesis in bacteria. Molecular Microbiology, 107: 445–454. 

Gibbs, M.R., Moon, K.M., Chen, M., Balakrishnan, R., Foster, L.J., and Fredrick, K. (2017) Conserved GTPase LepA (Elongation Factor 4) functions in biogenesis of the 30S subunit of the 70S ribosome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 114: 980–985. 

 

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Courses
Undergraduate Graduate
Cell Biology Lab - BIOL 4101






Last updated: 04/02/2024