Current Projects

I am currently a Research Scientist at the University of Chicago supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, Allen Family Philanthrophies, and the University of Chicago.

How have cyanobacteria evolved to survive in hot springs?
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My research investigates how cyanobacteria adapt near the upper temperature limit for photosynthesis by integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic data with eco-evolutionary processes. I am focusing on identifying genomic predictors of thermal tolerance, distinguishing adaptive from maladaptive stress responses, and testing whether horizontal gene transfer accelerates the evolution of thermotolerance.

How is vitamin B12 transferred between microbes?
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Many microbes are dependent on others for their source of vitamin B12. I aim to better understand the ecology of vitamin B12 transfer by quantifying B12 production, release, and uptake rates across multiple bacterial species. I hope to determine the potential contributions of lysis and secretion to the vitamin B12 pool, and how various scavengers compete for B12 uptake.

How do microbes move and interact to construct dynamic biofilms?
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I am interested in how different microbes cooperate physically and build dynamic biofilms. At the single cell level, I have quantified how bacteria move in response to light via phototaxis. At the subcellular level, we investigate the physical interactions between cells and the structures used for motility and cell attachment.