Research
Research vision
At approximately 352 quintillion gallons1 and 3.8 billion years old2, the ocean is the largest and longest-running chemistry experiment on Earth. That is quite the head start on us, and we should look to it for biochemical inspiration! The deep holds vast potential for new medicines, catalysts, materials, and more.
In hopes of discovering these novel biotechnologies, I am interested in exploring the biochemistry within extreme marine environments, such as brine pools and hydrothermal vents. These are the places where biology has forged some of its most unique solutions.
Today, we have still barely tapped into the ocean’s biochemical potential. I plan to be a part of changing that.
- How can underexplored marine organisms become sources of useful chemistry and biotechnology?
- What novel chemistry and applications could come from extreme marine habitats like brine pools and hydrothermal vents?
- How can genomic and expression tools turn marine sequence data into testable, producible molecules?
My early trajectory
During my undergraduate studies at Eckerd College, I earned degrees in Biochemistry and Marine Science (Biology) and gained hands-on experience in molecular biology, microbiology, cnidarian physiology, and marine fieldwork. Since then, I have expanded my practical experience through scuba diving and aquaculture, building skills in marine operations, organismal husbandry, and life-support systems that may support future biodiscovery work.
Past research experienceIncoming work · August 2026
Upcoming work at the Whitney Laboratory
Beginning in August 2026, I will work with Drs. Mark Martindale and Sandra Loesgen at the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience. The project will investigate biomineralization pathways and help develop the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis as a platform for protein expression.
Working with Dr. Martindale will deepen my understanding of systems biology and marine model organisms, while Dr. Loesgen’s expertise in natural products and organic chemistry will provide a complementary chemical perspective. This will be a strong environment for connecting organismal biology with marine biodiscovery, and will serve as excellent preparation for my graduate studies.
Research directions
Three connected areas frame the questions I hope to pursue and the approaches I want to develop.
Marine Biodiscovery
Exploring marine organisms and microbiomes as sources of useful chemistry, proteins, enzymes, and other biological function.
Extreme Marine Habitats
Investigating the unusual biology, chemistry, and adaptations shaped by deep-sea and other environmentally extreme systems.
Genomic & Expression Tools
Using genome mining, environmental nucleic acids, and expression platforms to connect sequence information with testable function.
Sources
- Ocean volume, roughly 352 quintillion gallons: NOAA, “How much water is in the ocean?”
- Oldest direct geologic evidence of oceans, roughly 3.8 billion years (Isua supracrustal belt, Greenland): SERC / Carleton College, “When did oceans form on Earth?”