The goal of my research is to understand how mucin glycans limit the virulence of pathogens and support beneficial microbes within diverse mucosal environments. Leveraging these insights into mucin-microbe interactions, I aim to develop mucin-inspired therapies for the targeted delivery of bioactive glycans.
Through my research I hope to uncover molecular interactions between mucin glycans and beneficial bacteria in the female reproductive tract. I am interested in the roles mucins play in adaptation of commensal bacteria to their environment, and hope that insights into this topic will aid in efforts to promote healthy microbiomes in people.
I am interested in exploring the influence of mucin glycan structure, presentation, and diversity on the management of environmental toxins and pathogens. Specifically, I am working to streamline the chemical synthesis of mucin glycan derivatives and glycopolymer displays with which to probe these effects.
My research aims to understand how mucins regulate host-microbe interactions in the gastrointestinal and female reproductive tracts. I am specifically interested in exploring how mucin glycans facilitate the production and translocation of microbial metabolites through epithelial barriers in the body.
In my research, I aim to leverage the molecular precision of chemical biology to identify mechanistic relationships between mucin glycan structures and gut microbial phenotypes. I am particularly fascinated by the role of bacterial metabolism in the human microbiome-gut-brain axis and how this metabolism may be regulated by surface interactions between mucin glycans and bacteria.