Aisha Burton is a molecular microbiologist who served as a Provost New Faculty Fellow (2024–2026) at Cornell University. In 2026, she joined the Department of Microbiology as an Assistant Professor. She earned her B.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a focus in Chemistry from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2012. Afterward, she completed a year of postbaccalaureate research training at the University of Missouri under the mentorship of Dr. Judy Wall. Aisha received her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Indiana University in 2019, where she trained with Dr. Dan Kearns. Before coming to Cornell, she was a postdoctoral fellow in the NIH PRAT (Postdoctoral Research Associate Training) Program, working with Dr. Gisela Storz at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development from 2019 to 2023.
Research Focus
My research focuses on elucidating the mechanisms by which small proteins, approximately 50 amino acids in length, contribute to the regulation of stress responses in bacteria, with a particular emphasis on E. coli and B. subtilis. The core of our investigations lies in understanding the role of these small proteins in modulating two-component systems, essential sensory and adaptive mechanisms that respond to diverse external stimuli.
Teaching Focus
Dr. Burton is looking forward to teaching BioMi 2900: General Microbiology Lecture in Spring 2027.
Area of Expertise
- Bacterial Transcription
- Molecular Bacteriology
- Small Proteins
Graduate Fields
Awards & Honors
Provost New Faculty Fellow 2024 - 2026
Publications
For a list of publications, please visit the Google Scholar Page
