The overall goal of my research has been to understand how microbes interact with each other and their surrounding environment. The following are three major categories of my research program at the University of Florida - Space Life Science Lab.

Modern Marine Microbialites
- What are microbialites?
- What organisms make microbialites?
- Why are microbialites important ecosystems to study?
- Little Darby Research Station


Artificial Microbialites – Environmental Flux
To examine the underlying genetic mechanisms of microbialite biomineralization, laboratory cultivated microbialites are used to model the natural environment. Cultivated microbialites grown under simulated environmental conditions are referred to as artificial microbialites.

Microbes and Environmental Stress
Environmental stress has played an enormous role in the evolution and physiology of organisms over time. Microbial ecosystems in particular have responded to environmental stress by developing complex biofilm community structures and novel gene products.