Crooks, Taylor

Human pathogens remain one of the largest contributors to mortality worldwide to date. Despite global efforts to reduce caseloads of various infectious diseases, bacterial pathogens have continued to evolve mechanisms of adaptation in order to overcome antimicrobial therapeutics and host-immune factors. The primary focus of the Crooks Lab is to understand the mechanisms of adaptation that bacterial pathogens use to circumnavigate environmental stressors in order to cause infection. Such examples include well established pathogens for which drug resistance is still an emerging threat, like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and poorly characterized human pathogens which have unclear roles in disease, such as certain Porphyromonas species. By integrating wet-laboratory experimentation with computational and gene-fitness association approaches, the Crooks Lab seeks to identify new vulnerabilities in pathogenic bacteria and to develop improved methods for antimicrobial targeting and control of microbial cell growth. In parallel, we aim to establish robust culturing and genetic tools for fastidious and understudied pathogens, expanding the range of organisms that can be rigorously investigated in a laboratory setting.

As a mentor, I work closely with my students to develop individualized development plans that align research training with each students’ career goals. Students in the Crooks Lab engage in collaborative research with investigators both within our institution here at Northern State University and at external partnering institutions, such as Mayo Clinic. As scientific research is a team effort, gaining exposure to diverse scientific methodologies and professional research networks is essential to career advancement. These collaborative experiences directly support workforce development by preparing students for multidisciplinary, team-based research environments and strengthening their competitiveness for biomedical-related graduate programs, professional schools, and research careers. Through this integrated approach to research and mentorship, students in the Crooks Lab gain both the technical training and the confidence needed to succeed in their next stage of scientific or professional development.