College of Science

Education:
B.S. Industrial Microbiology, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Campus 2007
M.S. Microbiology, University of Iowa 2010
Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Iowa 2013
Postdoctoral Trainee, University of Illinois at Chicago 2013-2017

Courses Taught:

BIOL1198: Principles of biology; BIOL3208: Microbiology Lab; BIOL5354: Immunology; BIOL5591: Special Topics in Biology, Infectious Diseases

Research Interest

Our laboratory focuses on Lactobacillus sp, a human commensal of the gastrointestinal and vaginal tract. We are working to define how Lactobacilli communicate and respond as a bacterial community. Our long term goals are to determine the effects of this communication for host cells. Our projects include characterizing quorum sensing pathways, identifying cellular and environmental signals, and discovery of quorum sensing effects in cells.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.perezmoraleslab.com

Recent Publications:

• Pérez Morales, T.G., Ratia, K., Wang, D-S., Gogos, A., Bloem, L., Driver, T., and Federle, M.J. A novel chemical inducer of Streptococcus quorum sensing acts by inhibiting the pheromone-degrading endopeptidase PepO. J Biol Chem 2018 Jan 19; 293(3):931-940
• Pérez Morales T.G., Ho TD, Liu WT, Dorrestein PC, Ellermeier CD. Production of the cannibalism toxin SDP is a multistep process that requires SdpA and SdpB. J Bacteriol. 2013 Jul; 195(14):3244-51.