I am a molecular microbiologist studying how bacterial pathogens sense host environments and remodel gene expression and cell surface architecture to promote infection, persistence, and transmission. My work focuses on spirochetes, including Borrelia burgdorferi, Leptospira interrogans, and Treponema pallidum, and integrates genetics, transcriptomics, structural biology, and infection-relevant models. A central goal of my research is to define how regulatory responses to host signals generate biologically meaningful phenotypes at the host–pathogen interface, with direct implications for pathogenesis and vaccine development. 

Within the Spirochete Research Laboratories, my research focuses on molecular mechanisms that enable spirochetes to adapt to complex life cycles spanning arthropod vectors, environmental reservoirs, and mammalian hosts. One major area of emphasis is transcriptional regulation in Borrelia burgdorferi, where I study how the Fur-family regulator BosR integrates host-derived signals to control RpoS-dependent and RpoS-independent gene expression during tick and mammalian infection. A second research focus centers on the outer membrane biology of Leptospira interrogans, including the regulation, function, and assembly of outer membrane proteins that contribute to virulence, persistence, and immune recognition. These studies combine several state-of-the-art molecular biology assays, structural modeling, and in vivo infection models to link regulatory mechanisms to pathogenic outcomes.

The Spirochete Research Laboratories offer research opportunities for graduate students, MD/PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and motivated undergraduate trainees. Ongoing projects include defining gene regulatory networks across the Borrelia enzootic cycle, mapping protein–DNA interactions, and characterizing infection-relevant outer membrane proteins in Leptospira. Trainees are encouraged to develop interdisciplinary skill sets spanning molecular microbiology, bioinformatics, and translational research, and to actively participate in manuscript preparation and grant-related activities.

Rotation students joining the Spirochete Research Laboratories are exposed to interdisciplinary approaches for studying bacterial gene regulation, host adaptation, and cell envelope biology. Rotation projects emphasize hypothesis-driven experimental design, quantitative data analysis, and integration of computational and wet-lab methods. Trainees gain hands-on experience with transcriptomics, molecular genetics, protein biochemistry, and infection-relevant models while developing independent research questions within a collaborative, multi-PI environment.

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