Dr. Brian Hammer
Assistant Professor
School of Biology
Dr. Brian Hammer
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Contact information:
- School of Biology
- 310 Ferst Drive
- Cherry Emerson, Room 22
- Atlanta, GA 30332, Mail Code: 0230
- Tel: 404-385-7701
- Fax: 404-894-0519
- Email:
Research Interests
Quorum sensing is a bacterial process of cell to cell communication that allows microbial groups to coordinate gene expression and behave like multicellular organisms. This process is achieved by bacteria that make and subsequently respond to small signal molecules called autoinducers. Our goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms that enable information in the form of autoinducer molecules to be transferred into changes in expression of genes that control the behaviors of bacterial populations. We are taking an integrative approach uses molecular genetics, high- throughput genomic expression profiling, biochemistry, and mathematical algorithms. In particular, the focus of our research is on the bacterial pathogen Vibrio cholerae, which uses quorum sensing to control expression of traits necessary for its environmental survival and also for causing the pandemic disease cholera in developing countries.