Sunil Tiwari

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Microbial Ecosystems Lab, where we investigate the interactions that shape microbial communities in marine environments. Throughout my career, I have investigated how environmental factors influence the physiology and behavior of photosynthetic microbes, and how such knowledge can be applied to develop sustainable bioproducts and advance environmental solutions.
In the Microbial Ecosystems Lab, my research focuses on how marine heterotrophs utilize substrates and the ecological interactions within complex microbial communities. I am particularly interested in how certain microbes sense and respond to specific substrates, how interactions between different species can lead to behaviors such as competitive exclusion or cell killing, and how these dynamics affect community structure and function. By integrating experimental microbiology with ecological theory, I aim to uncover the mechanisms that regulate microbial behavior in natural systems. Ultimately, I hope to translate this understanding into practical applications, including enhancing microbiomes in systems like the human gut.