Interested in understanding the metabolic strategies and mechanisms of genetic regulation employed by metabolically diverse bacterial species (either in monoculture or coculture with a syntrophic partner) using molecular, genetic, and analytical chemistry techniques. Knowledge of these strategies provides a better understanding of the roles of different bacterial species in the environment and may uncover attractive microbial candidates for biotechnological applications.- Characterized the impacts of nitrogen fixation on anaerobic fermentative metabolism in an industrially relevant marine bacterium using high-pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and enzymatic assays- Defined the regulon of key genetics regulators of nitrogen assimilation using RNA sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing in a non-model organism- Implemented rational design strategies to engineer a bacterial strain that excretes ammonium at nanomolar concentrations in a defined minimal media- Refining an ammonium-excreting strain by leveraging synthetic biology for improved genetic stability and higher yields

Lab manger of the Fixen Lab in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Trained incoming graduate students and undergraduate research assistants in proper lab safety and basic microbiology techniques. Maintained a safe lab environment by ensuring compliance with current safety standards, the proper handling of hazardous biological and chemical materials, and ordering of research materials. Performed basic research tasks, including the genetic manipulation of a bacterium, phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis, and the propagation of bacterial cultures under anaerobic conditions, in the model system Rhodopseudomonas palustris with the goal of understanding microbial metabolism and mechanisms of redox regulation.

Undergraduate research assistant in the lab of Dr. Kathryn Fixen in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Performed basic research tasks, including the genetic manipulation of a bacterium, phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis, and the propagation of bacterial cultures under anaerobic conditions, in the model system Rhodopseudomonas palustris with the goal of understanding microbial metabolism and mechanisms of redox regulation.