Forged in CHAOS
Welcome to CHAOS Research—where we chase microbes through rock and ruin, decode the unseen, and turn field grit into discovery. Science doesn’t whisper here—it roars.
Statewide Microbiome Mapping
We’re building the most comprehensive statewide microbiome map, using geospatial tools and microbial diversity analyses to track microbial life across caves, soil, and stone. This isn’t just data—it’s a living blueprint for spotting emerging pathogens, fueling bioremediation, driving natural product discovery, and monitoring ecosystem health long after the dust settles.
Bioprospecting
Our bioprospecting project dives into Kentucky’s cave systems, hunting microbes with bioactive punch. Using geospatial tools and metabolomic firepower, we’re tracking compounds with serious potential for drugs, antimicrobials, and biotech. This is underground science at its grittiest—with plans to push into mines and other extreme zones where life refuses to quit.
Groundwater Microbial Surveillance
We’re gearing up for statewide groundwater microbial surveillance—testing for pathogens, tracking shifts in microbial diversity across systems and seasons, and hunting microbe-produced toxins that fuel harmful algal blooms and contaminate water supplies. It’s high-impact microbial intel for safeguarding ecosystems and exposing the invisible threats flowing beneath our feet.
Health Impacts of Natural Disasters
We’re launching a new line of research into the long-term health impacts of natural disasters—physical, mental, and community-wide. From tracking microbial contaminants in water and soil to mapping exposure timelines and recovery patterns, we’re uncovering the biological and psychological scars disasters leave behind. It’s trauma science with teeth—built to expose what doesn’t heal on its own.
Peer-Reviewed CHAOS: Abridged
Complements from the Male Reproductive Tract
Everyone’s heard of sperm, but did you know the entire male reproductive system runs an immune ops campaign to keep them safe? This review dives into the overlooked role of complement proteins — nature’s molecular bouncers — guarding the goods from testis to semen, and calls out just how much we still don’t know about their backstage roles in fertility and immune regulation.
Sertoli Cells Express Accommodation, Survival, Immunoregulatory Factors when Exposed to Human Serum
Pig Sertoli cells just casually survive human complement attacks with no immunosuppressants — so we asked: what’s their secret? Turns out, these testicular legends rewire their gene expression when exposed to human serum, flipping switches on immune regulation, survival, and accommodation pathways. We found 62 genes throwing down in response and spotlighted key players like CCL2 and A20. Bonus: this xenograft survival story was so badass, it landed the cover.
The Sertoli Cell Complement Signature: A Suspected Mechanism in Xenograft Survival
Pig Sertoli cells don’t just survive complement—they flex on it. While other pig cells got wrecked, these testicular tanks not only lived, they protected their neighbors with secreted complement blockers. With 21 inhibitors and 25 other complement factors on deck, they’ve got redundancy like a damn firewall. These cells run immune interference like pros—and that’s huge for xenotransplant survival.
Supplementation of a Single Species Probiotic Does Not Affect Diversity and Composition of the Healthy Adult Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Turns out popping a single-species probiotic for 30 days doesn’t shake up your gut party if you’re already healthy—microbiomes stayed chill, no matter the pills. This preliminary data suggests your Bifidobacterium supplement might just be taking a scenic ride through your system without leaving much of a trace.
Metabolomic And Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) Changes During 24-hour Water-only Fast In The FEELGOOD Clinical Crossover Trials
Skip food for 24 hours and your body doesn't just grumble—it starts making biochemical power moves. In this study, intermittent fasting dropped TMAO levels (a known CAD villain), shifted over two dozen metabolites, and triggered short-term changes in amino acids and urea that hint at metabolic reprogramming. Sure, things bounce back after you eat, but this data suggests even brief fasting hits the system like a dress rehearsal for long-term health gains, reduced disease risk, and maybe even a longer, sharper life.
Peer-Reviewed CHAOS is where the data hits the page. These are the publications born from fieldwork, fire, and a whole lot of late nights with microbes and metal. This is just a taste of our work—wanna see it all? Smash that Unleash the Papers button.