2023

Research: My research focuses on increasing our understanding of the Type VII Secretion System (T7SSb). Many Gram-positive bacteria use the T7SSb to secrete anti-bacterial effectors, which have been shown to be important for virulence. I am studying this system in both Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus gordonii. The E. faecalis OG1RF T7SSb has been shown to encode two effectors within the T7SSb operon, but the potential function
of only one is known. I am working to determine the targets of the unknown effector

Research: I study the impacts of space environments on nitrogen fixation in the
phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris. This research can inform
the development of nitrogen fixation and fertilizer production technologies
essential for the exploration of deep-space environments. It also provides a
fundamental understanding of the limits of nitrogen fixation and the survivability
of Earth-like life in non-Earth environments.

Research: In order to productively infect a new host species, viruses must overcome many obstacles. My research is focused on understanding these obstacles, such as host antiviral immunity, and how they impact cross-species transmission events. 

Research: Natural Killer cells have shown broad cytotoxic functions against cancer cells and an impressive safety profile but their use in cell therapy has suffered from poor persistence in vivo after transplant therapy.  NK cells have been shown to have the capability to expand in vitro for long periods of time on modified feeder cells. My research focus is defining the minimal signals for long-term NK expansion, and how this information could be exploited for NK cell cancer therapy.

Research: I am tracking CD4 T cell responses to leukemia and interrogating the tumor microenvironment to gain a mechanistic understanding of how leukemia subverts adaptive immunity to drive patient relapse.