Bio
Dr. Jesse Labbé is the Biosciences Division Director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He is a molecular geneticist with expertise in medical and environmental mycology. He is also a faculty member at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Department and the Genome Science and Technology program. Trained in infectious disease research (M.D.), Dr. Labbé also received in 2009 a Ph.D. in forest microbiology from the University of Lorraine, France. His research interests focus on the interactions involving fungal systems in natural and synthetic environments. His laboratory uses a combination of cutting-edge technologies (from Next-Generation Sequencing, Post-Genomics, Molecular Genetics/Synthetic Biology to Microcosm Systems Biology) with specific emphases on understanding the genetic and molecular mechanisms of the host - fungus and microbe - fungus interactions. As Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI of several projects, his research is aimed at tackling the scientific challenges of the U.S. DOE missions supporting biosecurity and the bioenergy and bioproduct development.