California State University-Sacramento · BiologyClostridia Dynamics Lab
Christopher Lopez · Sacramento, California
Research Focus
Dr. Christopher Lopez's lab studies the gut microbiota, specifically focusing on how different strains of bacteria, particularly Clostridia, play a role in human health and disease. By investigating how these bacteria metabolize substances like sorbitol and evolve, the lab aims to uncover important genetic factors that influence microbiota behavior and health outcomes. Their research could lead to better understanding of how gut bacteria interact with each other and how these interactions affect disease progression.
gut microbiotaClostridiastrain evolutionsorbitol metabolismmicrobial competitionpathogenicitymetabolic pathways
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the transcriptional regulation of sorbitol catabolic genes in P. bifermentans.
AIM 02Understand the role of sorbitol utilization in competition with Clostridioides difficile.
AIM 03Establish an evolution model for P. bifermentans to explore niche establishment.
AIM 04Examine gene duplication events as a mechanism for strain co-existence.
AIM 05Uncover metabolic genes in gut microbiota linked to health outcomes.
Skills the Lab Values
genomic sequencingtranscriptional regulation analysisbacterial culturingco-culture techniquesdata analysismicrobial geneticspathogen competition studiesexperimental designenvironmental samplingmetabolic assays
Output against the department
Publications36bottom 6% of dept.976th of 1,033
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations5.3kbottom 39% of dept.628th of 1,033
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.