Dr. Srujana Samhita Yadavalli

Dr. Srujana Samhita Yadavalli is an Assistant Professor of Genetics and a lab director at the Waksman Institute of Microbiology.  Dr. Yadavalli earned her Ph.D. at The Ohio State University in Dr. Michael Ibba's lab. Her doctoral research investigated proofreading mechanisms in translation at the level of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes. Her thesis work provided the molecular basis for how some phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) enzymes that lack major quality control mechanisms conserved in E. coli and other bacteria function. Next, Dr. Yadavalli moved to the University of Pennsylvania for her postdoctoral research in Dr. Mark Goulian's lab, where she investigated mechanisms of signal transduction and regulation of gene expression in bacteria. After her postdoc, Dr. Yadavalli worked with Dr. Bryce Nickels at Rutgers as a Research Associate, where she developed specific in vivo biochemical tools to study novel regulatory factors affecting bacterial gene expression.  In her lab, Dr. Yadavalli is developing an interdisciplinary research program, integrating tools from genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology to study how bacteria respond to and evolve resistance to antimicrobial stress. In addition, her research will highlight the biochemical functions of the growing number of understudied small proteins and provide insights into a new and emerging theme of gene expression regulation. She is also deeply committed to mentoring students from diverse backgrounds and at all levels of education.