Research Focus & Interests
My lab has several research interests that revolve around mucosal biology. I have a strong interest in host-microbe interactions that takes advantage of using gnotobiotic mouse models. We maintain three strains of mice colonized with the altered Schaedler flora (ASF). These mice are used to assess mucosal tolerance, effects of diet on microbial metabolism and mucosal health, affects of colonization by a pathobiont, and impact of microbial complexity on host immune response to vaccination. My lab also contributes to efforts of the Nanovaccine Institute to develop improved nanovaccines for respiratory pathogens and elucidate mechanisms by which the nanovaccine induce long-lived immune responses including tissue resident memory T cell.