My research interests are in two major areas: designing/characterizing peptides with specific functions and antimicrobial surfaces.

The majority of the research focuses on the development and characterization of antimicrobial peptides. These are short, cationic sequences that are highly effective, broad spectrum antimicrobials with low toxicity profiles. I study the chemical and amino-acid composition of these peptides and the role different amino acids play in the functional properties of these peptides. My lab also has a project focused on the design of peptides to interact with optically active porphyrins toward the development of novel materials for application in photovoltaic devices.

I also am interested in antimicrobial thin film coatings. In collaboration with the Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Electrical & Computer Engineering, my team has developed a series of coatings (patent pending) with a variety of antimicrobial and physical properties. The group focuses on the efficacy and mechanism of the antimicrobial coatings.