Suzanne Calhoun

Doctoral Candidate

Jericho, Vermont

Education
B.A. Mathematical Sciences, Middlebury College, 2014

Adhesion plays an important role in infectious disease, for example during the bacterial infection of mammalian cells, through the process of the bacterial cell attaching to and colonizing the mammalian cell. I am studying how strong these adhesion forces are between Listeria bacteria and mammalian epithelial cells, using a rheometer-based assay on a live cell monolayer, under different growth conditions and varying membrane proteins. Using this assay I will also be working to improve our understanding of the presence and formation of bacterial biofilms, which increase the occurrence of antibiotic resistance, a major medical challenge of our time.

Other than research, I enjoy exploring the surrounding area on a road or mountain bike or hiking. When I can get to snow in mountains nearby, I love cross country and alpine skiing. I play French horn in the Stanford orchestra and sing all the time. I also spend time cooking and doing photography (OoEeArt.com)