North Carolina State University at Raleigh · EngineeringThe Probiotic Solutions Lab
Nathan C. Crook · Raleigh, North Carolina
Research Focus
Nathan C. Crook's research lab focuses on developing novel therapies to combat Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a severe gastrointestinal illness. By engineering probiotic yeast to deliver specially designed peptides that neutralize the toxins produced by C. difficile, the lab aims to create a new treatment approach that is more effective and fewer side effects than traditional antibiotics. The research integrates techniques from molecular biology, microbiology, and bioengineering to create innovative solutions to this public health challenge.
C. difficileprobioticspeptide engineeringtoxin neutralizationgastrointestinal health
Research Aims
5AIM 01Design peptides that inhibit the activity of C. difficile toxins.
AIM 02Engineer probiotic yeast for the delivery of therapeutic peptides.
AIM 03Evaluate the effectiveness of peptides in cell culture and animal models.
AIM 04Investigate the molecular mechanisms by which peptides neutralize toxins.
AIM 05Optimize peptide production through fermentation processes.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRyeast engineeringcell culturebioinformaticspeptide designprotein purificationanimal modelsmolecular cloningfermentation techniquestoxin characterization
Output against the department
Publications101bottom 23% of dept.215th of 278
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations3.2kbottom 26% of dept.207th of 278
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.