I am a biochemist and molecular pharmacologist interested in understanding how endogenous chemical messengers and exogenous therapeutic molecules interact with their protein targets to influence physiology and disease. 

My current research efforts at the Center for Drug Design (CDD) are primarily focused on DNA- and RNA-processing enzymes involved in viral replication. Another major area of interest has been investigating the activation mechanisms of cell-surface receptors that allow cells to sense and respond to extracellular cues such as hormones and growth factors. I use purified proteins in conjunction with biochemical and biophysical techniques to analyze the basic function of these proteins and identify new ways of targeting them for therapeutic gain. As a member of the CDD BioCore, I establish assays to monitor activity of target proteins, conduct screens to identify hit compounds, and characterize active molecules to support the early phases of several drug development projects.