Recognizing Didactic Research: The Rolfes Lab receives a 3 Year R15 Grant

As Director of Graduate Studies, Professor Rolfes runs a successful lab while maintaining a didactic, proliferative teaching style in her classroom. The Rolfes lab investigates different yeast strains to understand how microbial cells sense signals from the environment. The resulting changes in cellular metabolism, gene expression, and morphology represent significant data to further understand human commensal pathogens. The R15 grant encourages continued research while incorporating students with a focus on education in the laboratory. Current research includes studying the yeast Saccharomyces and the yeast Candida albicans to grasp more information about the molecular mechanisms that allow each species to thrive. Many microbes, such as the Candida albicans, can be pathogenic and cause serious illness in humans. Thankfully, Professor Rolfes has been honored with the R15 grant that allows her to continue her research! With an intense dedication, both in her laboratory and in the classroom, Professor Rolfes fosters intellectual growth in each of her students, an endeavor that is well-deserving of the grant she has received.