Mark Mimee, PhD

The Mimee Lab leverages synthetic biology to engineer the microbiome, exploring strategies to modify commensal bacteria and bacteriophage for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.By genetically manipulating commensal microbes, we seek to create living devices that can serve as biosensors to probe the structure and function of the microbiome and as cell-based therapeutics for infectious and inflammatory disease. Additionally, we develop approaches to augment the natural properties of viruses that infect bacteria, called bacteriophage, to create novel therapies for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Our long-term vision is to implement these synthetic biology technologies to chart new basic and translational studies to exploit the microbiota for human health.



https://voices.uchicago.edu/mimeelab/

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA, USA
- Synthetic Biology
2019

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA, USA
PhD - Microbiology
2018

McGill University
Montreal, QC, Canada
BSc - Microbiology & Immunology
2011

Cas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements.
Cas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements. Nat Commun. 2024 Mar 07; 15(1):2096.
PMID: 38453913

A cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous genetic elements in the human gut.
A cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous genetic elements in the human gut. Cell. 2024 Feb 29; 187(5):1206-1222.e16.
PMID: 38428395

Commensal bacteria signal through TLR5 and AhR to improve barrier integrity and prevent allergic responses to food.
Commensal bacteria signal through TLR5 and AhR to improve barrier integrity and prevent allergic responses to food. Cell Rep. 2023 10 31; 42(10):113153.
PMID: 37742185

Sub-1.4 cm3 capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ.
Sub-1.4 cm3 capsule for detecting labile inflammatory biomarkers in situ. Nature. 2023 Aug; 620(7973):386-392.
PMID: 37495692

Genetic Engineering of Resident Bacteria in the Gut Microbiome.
Genetic Engineering of Resident Bacteria in the Gut Microbiome. J Bacteriol. 2023 07 25; 205(7):e0012723.
PMID: 37382533

A highly conserved and globally prevalent cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous mobile genetic elements in the human gut.
A highly conserved and globally prevalent cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous mobile genetic elements in the human gut. bioRxiv. 2023 Mar 25.
PMID: 36993556

Host happy hour: Phage cocktail targets IBD-associated microbes.
Host happy hour: Phage cocktail targets IBD-associated microbes. Cell Host Microbe. 2022 10 12; 30(10):1352-1353.
PMID: 36228584

A conserved Bacteroidetes antigen induces anti-inflammatory intestinal T lymphocytes.
A conserved Bacteroidetes antigen induces anti-inflammatory intestinal T lymphocytes. Science. 2022 08 05; 377(6606):660-666.
PMID: 35926021

Proceedings from the 3rd International Conference on Microbiome Engineering.
Proceedings from the 3rd International Conference on Microbiome Engineering. Biotechnol Prog. 2022 05; 38(3):e3241.
PMID: 35092364

Engineered yeast tune down gut inflammation.
Engineered yeast tune down gut inflammation. Nat Med. 2021 Jul; 27(7):1150-1151.
PMID: 34183835

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