Studying the evolutionary history and diversity of microbial life–the dominant life form on earth–is critical for understanding how life became as complex as it is today. Tiny microbes found virtually everywhere–from soil to skin–carry important clues about how cells adapt and evolve in response to changing environments. New associate professor of cell and molecular biology, Laura Eme, combines biology and bioinformatics to study these relationships.
Drawn to the “dynamic blend of robust research opportunities and a strong commitment to student success,” Eme says she immediately noticed the collaborative spirit on campus when she arrived in Kingston last summer. “Faculty, staff, and students alike were genuinely enthusiastic about interdisciplinary projects and innovation. It felt like an environment where I could not only advance my own research, but also inspire and mentor the next generation of scholars,” she says of her decision to join URI’s faculty.
One of the core tenets of URI’s land-and-sea grant mission is community engagement, and Eme notes that this emphasis is important to her. “I appreciate how URI encourages students to apply their classroom learning to real-world challenges, collaborating with local organizations and community leaders to drive meaningful impact. This spirit of service and outreach is woven into the fabric of the institution and makes it an inspiring environment to be part of,” she says. “Whether through organized outreach programs, student-led initiatives, or faculty research partnerships, the University consistently demonstrates a genuine commitment to making a positive difference locally.”
Noting that she’s always been captivated by life’s incredible diversity and the underlying processes that drive evolution, Eme was drawn to the field of biology to unravel mysteries about the origins, adaptations, and relationships of living things. The method of choice to conduct this exploration? Computational tools. ”Bioinformatics provides the perfect bridge: it turns vast, often complex biological data into a window on how life has evolved over time,” she says. “This combination of hands-on biology and computational analysis is endlessly fascinating to me.”
Her current research uses a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, and state-of-the-art phylogenetic approaches to explore how and when eukaryotic organelles (like mitochondria) arose, and how various microbial lineages adapted to diverse and sometimes extreme environments, among other complex questions. “By piecing together the evolutionary relationships among these fascinating microbes, we aim to gain deeper insights into the processes that shaped life’s complexity and paved the way for the emergence of our modern biosphere,” she says. “This window into the past helps us understand the incredible resilience and versatility of microbes, and also sheds light on fundamental processes that continue to drive evolution in all forms of life, including our own.”
Eme was involved in the initial project design for a recently published paper in Nature in which researchers used a state-of-the-art genome analysis model to answer fundamental questions about the ‘tree of life’ and what the cellular ancestor of complex life looked like. The analysis was her primary postdoctoral objective when she was in co-author Andrew Roger’s lab several years ago. “I assembled and analyzed the initial dataset of molecular sequences that were used as the foundation for the work published here,” she says. While Eme was involved as a collaborator and developed expertise in analyzing this type of data, the complex study wasn’t completed when she left Dalhousie University and has since been updated and expanded by Kelsey Williamson.
Noting the importance of having a supportive environment to encourage creativity in the classroom, Eme says she looks forward to designing courses at URI that challenge students to think critically by connecting abstract concepts to the living world around them. “One of the biggest challenges is making those complex ideas in biology both accessible and engaging, but it’s also where real learning and growth happen,” she says. “Beyond course material, I hope my students walk away with a mindset of curiosity and resilience. I want them to see science not just as a collection of facts, but as a process of exploration and continuous questioning and critical thinking—skills that extend far beyond the classroom.”
Eme encourages current students to cultivate the mindset of a scientist by gaining hands-on experience, seeking interdisciplinary connections, and building strong relationships with peers and professors. “Stay curious,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem basic or tangential. College is the perfect environment to explore new ideas, learn from mistakes, and discover what genuinely excites you.”
Students who are passionate about exploring evolutionary relationships will soon be able to work alongside Eme when she gets her lab up and running. “Opportunities will range from analyzing genomic data across the diversity of life, to investigating how microorganisms adapt to various environments,” she says. “Undergraduates and graduate students alike are welcome to get involved—whether you’re keen to hone your laboratory skills, dive into computational analysis, or develop new research questions of your own.”
