Pavithra Anantharaman Sudhakari

Post-doc

pavithra.anantharaman.sudhakari@umontreal.ca

I am fascinated by the hidden battles between bacteria and their genetic parasites (phages & plasmids) that shape bacterial populations in surprising ways. My interest began with my Master’s project on prophages (phage DNA within bacterial genomes), where I investigated the rationale for the prophage prevalence despite their associated maintenance cost. I carried this curiosity into my PhD at the School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA Deemed University, India. Using genomics approach, bioinformatics tools, and evolutionary modelling, I explored how genetic parasites occur, persist, propagate, and accumulate in bacterial genomes, shaping the host population dynamics. In Fred’s lab, I focus on the eco-evolutionary dynamics of bacteria–phage interactions, combining computational analyses with a philosophical curiosity.

When I am not deciphering bacteria-phage relationships, you will find me dancing, painting, singing, playing sports, cooking, photographing, or in nature.