Ahmad Khalil

My team is interested in how molecular circuits enable core cellular functions, such as decision-making, computation, and epigenetic memory. We apply synthetic biology and other multidisciplinary approaches to study and manipulate the function and evolution of these cellular systems. Current studies focus on developing synthetic biology approaches to illuminate and control eukaryotic transcriptional regulation, chromatin/epigenetic regulatory systems, and protein aggregation systems. In parallel, we invent technologies, such as the “eVOLVER”, an automated high-throughput continuous culture platform, to help us experimentally interrogate cellular adaptation and to conduct continuous laboratory evolution. With these tools and approaches, our goal is to gain integrated, quantitative understanding of how cellular phenotypes emerge from underlying regulatory networks, how these phenotypes are adapted to evolutionary selection pressures, and how to predictively engineer cellular systems for biomedical and therapeutic applications.

Department Profile Page

Lab Website