Booshini Fernando

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About

Booshini Fernando is a leading researcher in evolutionary microbiology and antibiotic resistance, whose work illuminates the complex genetic networks that govern bacterial adaptation. Her most-cited study, "Highly parallel lab evolution reveals that epistasis can curb the evolution of antibiotic resistance" (2020, 84 citations), represents a landmark contribution to the field. In this work, Fernando and her team demonstrated that epistasis—the interaction between different genetic mutations—can significantly constrain the evolution of antibiotic resistance, challenging the assumption that resistance pathways are easily accessible. By combining genome-wide characterization of resistance-conferring perturbations with systematic evolutionary experiments, she revealed that strong genetic interactions can act as evolutionary brakes, limiting the emergence of drug-resistant strains. This finding has profound implications for designing more durable antibiotic therapies and predicting resistance trajectories. Fernando’s research elegantly bridges molecular genetics and evolutionary theory, offering both mechanistic insights and practical strategies for combating the global crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Her work is essential reading for anyone interested in the evolutionary dynamics of infectious diseases.