Contact Information
1206 West Gregory Drive
MC-195
Urbana, IL 61801
Research Interests
Research Topics
Archaea, Biofuels, Enzymology, Genomics, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Molecular Evolution, Protein Structure, Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions
Research Description
Molecular biology and biochemistry of archaeal DNA replication; host-microbiome interactions; enzymes of plant cell wall hydrolysis
The research of the Cann lab focuses on three areas:
- DNA replication in the archaeal domain of life
- Host-microbiome interactions and their effects on health and disease
- Enzymes of importance to biofuel production
Isaac Cann is a member of two themes at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), and his research is carried out at the space shared by his affiliated themes [Microbiome Metabolic Engineering (MME) and Biocomplexity (BCXT)] with others at the IGB.
Education
B.Sc (Hons) Animal Sciences, University of Ghana 1986
M.S. (Rumen Microbiology), Mie University, Japan, 1991
Ph.D. (Rumen Microbiology), Mie University, Japan, 1994
Postdoctoral (Anaerobic Microbiology), Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, 1994-1997
Awards and Honors
National Science Foundation CAREER Award 2003
Fellow, Center for Advanced Study 2005
Excellence in Guiding Undergraduate Research Award (UIUC) 2012
Paul A. Funk Award, College of ACES 2014
Additional Campus Affiliations
Professor, Animal Sciences
Professor, Nutritional Sciences
Professor, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
Recent Publications
Binion, B., Abdel-Hamid, A. M., Wang, T., Hurst, J. L., Ahmad, S., Irudayaraj, J., Daniel, S. L., Gaskins, H. R., Cann, I., & Ridlon, J. M. (2026). Characterization of an NADPH-dependent 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from a urinary tract bacterial isolate. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 260, Article 106996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2026.106996
Furuhashi, K., Fujimoto, H., Toda, M., D’Alessandro-Gabazza, C. N., Takeshita, A., Nishihama, K., Okano, T., Saiki, H., Tomaru, A., Fridman D’Alessandro, V., Cann, I., Gabazza, E. C., Yasuma, T., Hataji, O., & Kobayashi, T. (2026). Neutralization of Microbiota-Derived Corisin Shows Early Amelioration of Advanced Pulmonary Fibrosis. Advances in Respiratory Medicine, 94(1), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/arm94010009
Shi, Q., Wang, D., Duan, C., Li, Y., Tu, T., Zhu, W., Cann, I., & Cheng, Y. (2026). Anaerobic Fungal Carbohydrate-Binding Modules Exhibit Preference for Fusion to Hemicellulases and Enhance Their Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 74(4), 3781-3794. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5c11503
Abdel-Hamid, A. M., Putman, T., Furukawa, M., Palivos, W., Walden, K. K. O., Fields, C. J., Schimmel, P., Mackie, R. I., & Cann, I. (2025). Complete genome sequence of Methylocystis echinoides strain RIM isolated from soil. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 14(4). https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.01155-24
Cann, I., Cheng, Y., Alhawsawi, M. A. B., Moran, M., Li, Y., Gong, T., Zhu, W., & Mackie, R. I. (2025). Rumen-Targeted Mining of Enzymes for Bioenergy Production. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, 13(1), 343-369. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-Animal-021022-030040
