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
Engineered probiotic Bifidobacterium for tumor-targeted pancreatic cancer therapy.
Engineered probiotic Bifidobacterium for tumor-targeted pancreatic cancer therapy. Sci Adv. 2026 Jul 24; 12(30):eadz1388.
PMID: 42490449
Microbiome histidine competition mediates dietary control of systemic imidazole propionate.
Microbiome histidine competition mediates dietary control of systemic imidazole propionate. bioRxiv. 2026 Jun 23.
PMID: 42395374
Engineered gut symbionts mediate cross-phylum antagonism to suppress uropathogenic Escherichia coli colonization.
Engineered gut symbionts mediate cross-phylum antagonism to suppress uropathogenic Escherichia coli colonization. bioRxiv. 2026 May 12.
PMID: 42182438
Advances in biocontainment strategies of engineered microbes for use in humans.
Advances in biocontainment strategies of engineered microbes for use in humans. Curr Opin Microbiol. 2026 Jun; 91:102727.
PMID: 41780106
Engineering butyrate-producing Lachnospiraceae to treat metabolic disease.
Engineering butyrate-producing Lachnospiraceae to treat metabolic disease. bioRxiv. 2025 Nov 09.
PMID: 41279522
Designing live bacterial therapeutics for cancer.
Designing live bacterial therapeutics for cancer. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2025 06; 221:115579.
PMID: 40228606
Rapid design of bacteriophage cocktails to suppress the burden and virulence of gut-resident carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.
Rapid design of bacteriophage cocktails to suppress the burden and virulence of gut-resident carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Cell Host Microbe. 2024 11 13; 32(11):1988-2003.e8.
PMID: 39368473
A synbiotic of Anaerostipes caccae and lactulose prevents and treats food allergy in mice.
A synbiotic of Anaerostipes caccae and lactulose prevents and treats food allergy in mice. Cell Host Microbe. 2024 07 10; 32(7):1163-1176.e6.
PMID: 38906158
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 03 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 02 29; 187(5):1206-1222.e16.
PMID: 38428395