I am at BGSU in pursuit of a Ph.D. in microbiology. Currently, I am working in Dr. Larsen's lab. My research interests involve two protein systems in E. coli that are responsible for providing energy to the outer membrane of the cell wall by harvesting energy from the proton motive force across the cytoplasmic membrane. This is important for a variety of cellular functions, including the uptake of iron. In my research, I am testing E. coli recombinant cells for their ability to uptake iron in their surrounding environment. This is done by using a radioactive isotope of iron, which is later detected and quantified in the cells. By knowing how much iron is being taken into the cells, I can determine how well the recombinant protein systems are working. Based on this information, a variety of other experiments can be performed including chemical cross linking, stability of the proteins, and other protein-protein interactions that are taking place within these systems.
