About me

My research focuses on microbial toxins, their evolution, their role in ecological systems, and their utilization in medical and industrial applications. I earned my B.S. in Biological Sciences from Purdue University (USA) and then worked as a microbiologist in the food industry, before earning my Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (USA), under the supervision of Dr. Vanni Bucci.  My dissertation focused on the characterization of Class IIb microcins (siderophore-microcins) and their application in treating infectious disease of the mammalian gut via engineered probiotics.  Now, as a postdoc at the University of Oxford, under the supervision of Prof. Kevin Foster, I am examining the role of toxin spectrum in interbacterial competition utilizing computational modeling and experimental approaches. When not in the lab, you’ll likely find me outside in Oxford with my dog Kepler, running along the Thames, or on my home-built rock climbing wall.