Welcome to the Liles laboratory

Welcome to the Liles laboratory

Liles lab links: Publications Research

The Liles laboratory conducts research at the intersection of environmental and clinical microbiology

Bacterial and viral communities in natural environments play critical roles in ecological processes and in animal and plant health.  There is now a growing appreciation of the ways in which environmental and commensal microorganisms contribute to  health.  Microorganisms have provided us with the chemical arsenal (i.e., antibiotics) needed to treat bacterial pathogens, and many diverse industries depend upon microbiological activities.  It was only with the advent of genetic analysis that microbiologists have realized how little of the astounding bacterial and viral diversity that exists in natural environments has been described, and has yet to be fully exploited for the benefit of agriculture and medicine.  The Liles laboratory is dedicated to an understanding and application of microorganisms as it pertains to the health of animals and plants, using beneficial microorganisms to prevent disease in aquaculture and agriculture, and the identification of novel antimicrobial compounds produced by environmental microorganisms.

Last updated: 10/05/2021