Research Scholar · Georgia Institute of Technology
Canan Karakoç
Evolutionary ecologist working with microbes. I combine experiments, data synthesis and eco-evolutionary theory to understand, and ultimately predict, how populations and communities persist and adapt as their environment changes.
About me
I am a research scholar in Sam Brown Lab at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Previously, I worked with Jay Lennon at Indiana University Bloomington, where I spent several years developing my research interests.
My work centers on eco-evolutionary dynamics—how communities persist, adapt, and maintain coexistence across space and time. I am particularly drawn to microbes (anything smaller than 1 mm): they offer a unique window into evolution unfolding in real time. By combining microbial systems with eco-evolutionary theory, I aim to understand—and ultimately predict—how environmental change shapes genes, populations, communities, and ecosystems.
I am currently supported by a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, where I study the evolution of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common pathogen in individuals with cystic fibrosis. More broadly, I am interested in how resistance evolution influences microbial community ecology, and how these insights can inform more effective treatment strategies.
Research
Recent publications
Illustrations
Nature-inspired drawings, mostly ink on paper.
Contact
Send me a message and I will get back to you. You can also find me on Bluesky and Instagram.