Erin Amato

Erin Amato joined Susan Leschine’s laboratory as a Commonwealth Honors College student, conducting her Honors Thesis research on the role of spirochete bacteria in plant biomass-decomposing microbial communities. She continues this research as a Masters student in the Animal Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences Program. Amato’s research is aimed at testing the hypothesis that spirochetes facilitate the conversion of complex plant carbohydrates into nutrients in the intestinal tracts of animals.

Amato also serves as Project Assistant with the Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies (OURS), a resource for all undergraduate students in all majors and at all stages of experience. Through OURS, Amato helps students find research and scholarly opportunities on and off campus. Amato also assists in recruiting the next wave of iCons students at UMass Amherst.