Welcome to the González-Pech Microbial Symbiosis Lab @TXST (aka the Goch Lab, for the homies)!
We are a group of researchers interested in invertebrate–microbe symbioses, their evolution, and their responses to environmental change. Led by Dr. Raúl A. González-Pech. Our primary focus is on the microbial partners—examining how a symbiotic lifestyle influences their genomes and drives diversification.
While much of our work centers on coral–algal symbioses, we are expanding our research to include other symbiotic invertebrates. We have a soft spot for bipartite systems (i.e., involving two partners), but we’re also intrigued by how these systems interact with their broader microbiomes (i.e., the full microbial communities they associate with).
Our research leverages the vast amount of data generated through genomics and other omics approaches. This requires the use of bioinformatics tools for robust data analysis and interpretation.
