Serbus, Laura Graduate Faculty

Positions
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overview

  • Dr. Laura Serbus is an Associate Professor studying host-microbe interactions in insects.

    Dr. Serbus earned her bachelor's degree in Cell and Molecular Biology at Northwestern University. She went on to earn her doctorate at Indiana University (Bloomington) under mentorship of Dr. William Saxton. Her dissertation in Dr. Saxton's lab focused on the role of the microtubule motor protein kinesin-1 in early development of Drosophila melanogaster. Dr. Serbus then moved to the University of California (Santa Cruz) to a postdoctoral position with Dr. William Sullivan. She worked with Dr. Sullivan on studies of a bacterial endosymbiont called "Wolbachia", on projects related to developmental cell biology and high-content screening of Wolbachia-infected tissue culture cells.

    Dr. Serbus's research group at FIU continues to pursue Wolbachia-host interactions as an emphasis. The lab includes research trainees ranging from high school interns to postdoctoral scholars. Lab members work in teams to tackle new research questions under the mentorship of senior lab members. Results that stand up to robust validation are communicated to others in the form of oral presentations and ultimately peer-reviewed research papers. Serbus lab papers are generally led by senior lab members, and also feature contributions by undergraduate trainees, whose research has risen to the level of an authorship position.

selected scholarly works & creative activities

full name

  • Laura Serbus

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