The goal of my project is to identify and characterize phosphatases that function within the Drosophila circadian clock.

I am characterizing the function and mechanism of the Arabidopsis CST telomere capping complex.  I am particularly interested in the role of CST and telomeres with the DNA damage response pathways and with DNA replication.

I'm broadly interested in Invertebrate Ecology and Invasive Species. My current research focuses on the effect of local adaptations on the invasibility of the crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii, in inland reservoirs.

I am currently investigating circadian regulation of translation through a serine/threonine protein kinase RCK-2 in Neurospora crassa.

I am interested in sexual selection and mating strategies in Syngnathid species, in particular the Gulf Pipefish. 

Conservation genetics of exploited marine and freshwater fishes, Phylogenetics and phylogeography of marine and freshwater fishes , Ecology of marine and freshwater fishes,
Genomics of fishes and other vertebrates

Circadian clocks ensure that the biology of an organism is in proper synchrony with its environment.  I am interested in understanding how circadian clocks regulate the expression of genes at different times of day.  Specifically, I am investigating the clock regulation of signaling pathways in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. 

I investigate the host-parasite ecology, phylogeography, and impact of wetland habitat alteration on the fine-scale population structure of Ochetosoma aniarum, a trematode that infects water snakes and pit vipers.

I have generated a vri transgene that rescues embryonic lethality in vri null mutants. This transgene was engineered to eliminate vri function either inducibly in adults or permanently in clock cells, thus bypassing embryonic lethality and producing vri mutant adults. My next goal is to do molecular and behavioral experiments on vri mutant adults to determine the role that vri plays within the Drosophila circadian clock. 

I am currently working on the molecular mechanism of maintaining C. elegans mating behavior during aging.

I am currently working on identifying the factors that determine uniparental mitochondrial DNA inheritance in fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

I am investigating the mechanisms by which Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. barbarae (CAB), a serpentine endemic plant, has not only adapted to, but thrives in such soils.  By comparing CAB to its sister, non-serpentine taxon Caulanthus amplexicaulis var. amplexicaulis, (CAA) I hope to elucidate the genetic and phenotypic variation that underlies adaptation to serpentine environments. 

I’m working to elucidate a signal transduction pathway that inhibits the proliferation of cells in Dictyostelium. I’m also working on a mechanism of chemotaxis in human neutrophils.

I am studying the interaction between the E.coli chemoreceptor Tsr and the binding protein LsrB. This interaction is interesting because LsrB binds the quorum sensing molecule Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) and then interacts with Tsr to elicit an attractant response. It is the only known binding protein that interacts with Tsr. We are also investigating the ecological impact of AI-2 chemotaxis.

My current work uses a molecular phylogenetic and population genetic approach to investigate the evolutionary patterns of life cycle complexity (number and type of host species used) in Alloglossidium, a genus of trematodes found in catfish, crustaceans, and leeches.

The general focus of research in our lab is Nuclear pore complex (NPC) assembly during interphase which we use Saccharomyces mutants with NPC assembly defects to investigate assembly. I am looking at the role of proteosome function in NPC assembly.

Although research in the past decade has shown a structure-function relationship between chromosome looping and gene expression, very little is known about the dynamic mechanism of the specific nuclear proteins. My primary objective is to understand how proteins such as Scaffold Attachment Factor B, which is implicated in nuclear scaffolding, regulate gene expression. I use Drosophila because of the cytological, genetic, molecular and bioinformatics tools available for high-resolution imaging, rapid creation of mutants, precise genome manipulation and accurate nucleic acid analysis.

I am focusing on looking at the luminal structure of isolated synaptic vesicles at chemical synapses in mammalian brain tissue, by high-resolution electron microscopy.

I am currently working on two projects: one is to investigate on the location and function of CRY in oscillator cells in CNS of Drosophila; the other is to develop Drosophila cell lines by activation of oncogenes Rasv12

XX embryos develop as females, while XY embryos develop as males in Drosophila. The target of the X chromosome signal is the gene Sex-lethal (Sxl) specifically its establishment promoter Sxlpe that comes ON only in females in response to the two doses of X-linked activators. We propose that X-dose-sensitivity is achieved via a signal amplification mechanism and testing if runt an X-linked transcription factor acts as a positive regulator of Sxlpe by antagonizing the repressor function of a maternally supplied co-repressor Groucho.

Understanding the molecular basis for amino acid-dependent stalling of ribosomes by nascent regulatory peptides in Escherichia coli.

My work focuses on understanding the physiological roles and biochemical properties of two Pi transport proteins that localize to the chloroplast inner envelope membrane. I am also developing a series of fluorescent sensor proteins that will enable evaluation of Pi levels in different compartments of live cells.

I am currently working on tagging Histidine Kinases in order to investigate their role in clock regulation in Neurospora crassa. 

The enzyme Cyanide dihydratase presents a attractive strategy for the bioremediation of cyanide waste. The activity and stability of this enzyme are related to the formation of a large spiral shaped homo-oligomer. My work focuses on identifying the contributing residues and surfaces responsible for the oligomer formation.

The planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway patterns cilia. Photoreceptors have a connecting cilium attaching the light-sensitive outer segment to the cell body. The purpose of my research is to determine if connecting cilia are polarized by the PCP pathway.

A diverse number of organisms exhibit transient electrical coupling before developing chemical synapses in their mature nervous system. I am investigating how transient formation of electrical synapses regulates connectivity in neural networks. 

I am interested in how the genetics of an organism can affect its behavior. My research focuses on how different genes influence mating behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. By changing the expression of genes I am able to discern whether differences in male courtship patterns occur, and whether these genes are important for Drosophila behavior.

Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is a general quorum sensing molecule involved in biofilm formation and regulation in many bacteria.  My current work focuses on characterizing the interaction between the AI-2 binding protein (LsrB) and its chemoreceptor (Tsr) in Escherichia coli.  This interaction is critical during the attraction of E. coli to gradients of AI-2 produced during quorum sensing.

My research focuses on exploring the possible mechanisms of post-copulatory sexual selection in the hybrid system formed between the swordtail fish, Xiphophorus birchmanni and Xiphophorus malinche. 

I am currently trying to add FRT site into a plasmid containing vri gene.

I study the vocal ontogeny of northern mockingbirds raised in captivity.  My focus is on what role social inputs play  in repertoire development and syntactical organization.

I examine the timing and mechanism of Wnt signaling’s role in the patterning and formation of the midbrain hindbrain boundary.  The MHB is a signaling center that patterns the tectum and cerebellum.

I am currently working on the role of iodine and thyroid stimulating hormone on thyroid tissue in red drum.  I use high resolution PET/CT on fish injected with radioactive iodine to obtain three-dimensional images of fish anatomy, visualize dispersed thyroid tissue and quantify iodine uptake. 

Currently, I am identifying genes that regulate photoperiodic flowering in Cotton.  I am using Roche 454 amplicon pyrosequencing to identify orthologs, paralogs and SNPs of candidate genes in diploid and tetraploid Cottons (Gossypium spp.)

I focus on the host-pathogen interactions during the infection caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. I also investigate on novel antifungal drugs and the underlying mechanisms.

I work on the interaction between fibroblasts and immune system cells in order to find ways to reduce fibrosis.

The function of clockwork orange (cwo) in Drosophila circadian clock and specifically how CWO contributes to transcriptional rhythms that keep circadian time.