Research Interests
My research program focuses on understanding how gene expression is regulated using fungal and mammalian cell model systems. I am particularly interested in how regulatory RNAs and proteins interact with the core gene expression machinery to affect the transcription, translation and degradation of mRNAs. We use an interdisciplinary approach that combines classical genetics and molecular genetic methods as well as functional genome-wide analyses and systems biology to identify the regulatory RNAs and proteins, study how they work and understand the biological significance of their function.
My lab has investigated the regulation of wild-type gene expression by the Saccharomyces cerevisiae nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway, and the regulation of morphogenesis of Candida albicans by quorum sensing. Current research in my lab is now mainly focused on how bioactive RNAs in exosomes, a type of extracellular vesicle used for cell-to-cell communication, effect changes in gene expression in target cells.