Chantle Swichkow

I am a geneticist studying the mutualism between yeast and bacteria in fermentation.

I am currently completing my postdoctoral research in the lab of Prof. Leonid Kruglyak at the University of California (UCLA), where I am studying the genetic architecture of yeast-bacteria interactions in fermented environments. By investigating genetic variation in yeast and interspecies mutualism with lactic acid bacteria, I hope to understand better how spontaneous communities of diverse microorganisms are established and stabilized. The outcomes of this work could advance knowledge of ecological modeling, bioengineering, and culinary arts. My long-term goal is to invert the human-centered paradigm of science by speaking as microbes.

Talks/Poster Presentations

• Lightning talk and poster presentation at the 14th International Symposium for Lactic Acid Bacteria in 2023
• Poster presentation at Yeast Genetics Meeting in 2022
• Poster presentation at Microbial Foods Conference in 2022
• Poster presentation at Keystone Symposium on Epigenetics and Human Disease in 2017
• Poster presentation at the American Society of Human Genetics in 2016

Accolades

• Invited Speaker on Stanford's Fermentation and Health Science Speaker Series in 2024
• NHLBI T32 Vascular Biology Trainee from 2018 to 2020
• NHGRI T32 Training Grant in Genomic Analysis and Interpretation from 2016 to 2018
• Leena Peltonen Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Research in 2018