Email

buck.samuel@bcm.edu

Positions

Assistant Professor

Molecular Virology & Microbiology
Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Faculty Member, Steering Committee and Curriculum Chair

Immunology and Microbiology (IY) Graduate Program
Baylor College of Medicine

Faculty Member

Quantitative and Computational Biosciences
Baylor College of Medicine

Faculty Member

Development Disease Models and Therapeutics (DDMT) Program
Baylor College of Medicine

Faculty Senator

Baylor College of Medicine

Faculty Member

Genetics and Genomics Program
Baylor College of Medicine

Addresses

BCM-Andersen Bldg. (Lab)

Room: BCM-661E
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-9156

BCM-Andersen Bldg. (Office)

Room: BCM-661E
Houston, TX 77030
United States
Phone: (713) 798-9110

Education

PhD from Washington University in St. Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri United States

Molecular Microbiology and Genomics, Laboratory of Jeffrey Gordon

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts United States

Genetics, Metabolism and Small RNA Biology, Laboratory of Gary Ruvkun

Professional Interests

• Genetics and genomics of host-microbe interactions
• Microbiome programming of host physiology and development
• Invertebrate animal models of dysbiosis / IBD
• Intestinal parasite / helminth microbiome interactions

Professional Statement

POSITIONS AVAILABLE**: UNDERGRADUATE/SUMMER STUDENTS, POSTBAC, POSTDOCS.

[ ** Email CV, Cover Letter, References to bucks [at] bcm [dot] edu ] Microbes are exquisite architects of both host physiology and the world around us. Despite their importance, we know very little about how our indigenous microbes (our 'microbiome') are established, managed and maintained. Thus, research in my lab aims to comprehensively identify the molecular pathways that govern microbial influence over host physiology. It has been difficult to dissect these pathways with traditional systems due to their complexity and the lack of high-throughput analysis tools. Thus, to accomplish this goal, we utilize both clinical microbiome studies and have developed a novel microbiome analysis system that uses the free-living nematode C. elegans. Using this high-throughput system, we have characterized the natural C. elegans microbiome and identified several highly conserved host and microbial pathways that govern their interactions. In addition, we translate these candidates into other model systems and clinical populations. Ultimately, we seek to identify conserved genetic circuits that can be used to manage influence of the microbiome on human health.

Websites

Selected Publications

• Liu Y, Samuel BS, Breen PC, Ruvkun G "Caenorhabditis elegans pathways that surveil and defend mitochondria." Nature. 2014; Pubmed PMID: 24695221
• Samuel BS, Rowedder H, Braendle C, Felix M-A*, Ruvkun G* "Caenorhabditis elegans responses to bacteria from its natural habitats." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jul 5; Pubmed PMID: 27317746
• Zhang F#, Berg M#, Dierking K, Félix MA, Shapira M*, Samuel BS*, Schulenburg H* "Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model for Microbiome Research." Frontiers Microbiol. 2017;
• Gregory KE*, Samuel BS*, Houghteling P, Shan G, Ausubel FM, Sadreyev RI, Walker WA "Influence of maternal breast milk ingestion on acquisition of the intestinal microbiome in preterm infants." Microbiome. 2016; Pubmed PMID: 28034306

Memberships

Genetics Society of America

American Society for Microbiology

Funding

Microbiome programming of host physiology - #DP2 DK116645

Grant funding from NIH New Innovator Award

Microbes establish physiologic programs at birth and different microbes during these critical periods influences likelihood of leading a life of health or disease. Despite its importance to all our health, we know very little about the nature of these microbial programming events. We propose to leverage a simple animal system and new innovative methods to define the genetic landscape and response networks of microbial programming at the organismal level in order to identify targets for tailored interventions to support a lifelong healthy balance with our microbes.

Genomic analyses of the natural microbiome of Caenorhabditis elegans

Grant funding from Joint Genome Institute / Department of Energy

Support for full genome sequencing of 92 bacterial isolates of C. elegans natural microbiome.

Junior Faculty Seed Grant

Grant funding from Baylor College of Medicine

Development of a model system to dissect the molecular mechanisms of microbiome impact on infant growth trajectories.

Development of high-throughput genetic strategies to dissect microbiome impact on host physiology

(01/01/2018 - 12/31/2019) Grant funding from John S. Dunn Collaborative Research Award

Collaboration with Joff Silberg and Grant Hughes to improve throughput of CRISPR targeting systems in multiple hosts.