I am studying the assembly of pathogenic viruses using structural biology and biochemistry approaches.
I am a PhD student in the Max Renner lab at the Department of Chemistry.
My work examines the proteins that form the structures of metapneumoviruses. I use techniques, such as cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, to investigate how these viral components come together on a molecular level. By elucidating the roles the proteins play in the replicative cycle of these pathogens, we are better able to understand how infections occur and eventually improve approaches to treating them.
I started in biochemistry research at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA, where I applied a biophysical approach to characterizing the binding interactions that allow some bacteria to regulate their tryptophan levels. I completed a master's degree in structural biology of pathogens at Université Grenoble Alpes in Grenoble, France. While there, I used a biophysical and structural approach to studying proteins vital to the survival of trypanosomes, which include the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness.