Research Areas

Flavin-dependent halogenases

Flavin-dependent halogenases (FDHs) are powerful biocatalysts for sustainable halogenation chemistry. Our work is focused on studying single-component FDHs which have the benefits of not requiring an additional partner enzyme to permit catalysis and broad substrate scope to include terminal alkynes. We are studying the fundamental biochemistry of these FDHs, including their evolutionary histories, structure, and mechanisms as well as applying them in medicinal chemistry.

Natural product biosynthesis in cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microorganisms found nearly every environment from terrestrial to marine ecosystems. They harbor bioactive natural products constructed by diverse biosynthetic pathways and are rich sources of novel enzyme chemistry. We are investigating the enzymology of cyanobacterial natural product biosynthesis as well as their mechanisms for survival in extreme environments.

Enzyme family profiling

We leverage phylogenetics and sequence similarity networks (SSNs) to interpret protein family relationships. In the genomic era of enzymology, these tools are powerful for understanding and visualizing trends in enzyme reaction selectivity and specificity, enabling us to design the most promising biocatalysts for our applications.

Host-associated microbiome chemical ecology

Host-associated microbiomes, such as gut microbiomes and lichen symbioses, are typically tightly regulated to maintain composition. As a result, organisms in these environments are producing chemicals to interact with other microbiome members as well as their hosts. We aim to unravel these relationships through interrogating biosynthetic pathways associated with toxins, nutrient signaling hormones, antibacterial, and antifungal compounds.