Research

Overview.

My research sits at the intersection of ecology, evolution, and microbial biology, with a focus on how biological systems respond to environmental change across scales, from genes and microbes to farms, food systems, and human health. I am particularly interested in understanding how ecological and evolutionary processes shape microbial communities, and how this knowledge can be translated into more resilient agricultural practices and improved health outcomes. Over the course of my career, I have intentionally developed a broad, integrative research program that works across multiple systems and disciplines. Rather than focusing on a single organism or method, my work emphasizes synthesis: connecting field ecology, experimental evolution, genomics, and applied microbiology to address complex, real-world problems.

Farm-Based and Environmental Research.

A central component of my work involves farm-based and environmental research, where I study how agricultural practices influence microbial communities, soil health, nutrient cycling, and the spread of antibiotic resistance. Working closely with farmers, nonprofit research farms, and food producers, I design long-term field studies that combine ecological monitoring with genomic and statistical analyses.

This work includes projects on regenerative agriculture, soil and plant microbiomes, heavy metal dynamics, and the ecological consequences of land-use change. Beyond generating data, I am interested in building tools and frameworks that help translate microbial and ecological insights into practical decision-making for farmers and land managers.

Key Collaborators:

Swapan Jain, Ph.D. | Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, NY.

Carolina de Santana, Ph.D. | Universidade Federal da Bahia, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.

Conrad Vispo, Ph.D. | Hawthorne Valley Farm and FarmHub’s AFERC

Josh Barfield | Sky High Farm, Pine Plains, NY.

Jason Grauer & Andrew Luzemore | Rhizme & Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Tarrytown, NY.

Clinical and Translational Microbiology.

In parallel, I conduct clinically and translationally oriented research that examines microbial evolution, host–microbe interactions, and antibiotic resistance in human-associated systems. This includes work on urogenital and other host-associated microbiomes, microbial adaptation under stress, and the genomic mechanisms underlying persistence and treatment failure.

A recurring theme across my clinical work is the connection between environmental microbial reservoirs and human health, linking agricultural, environmental, and clinical microbiology into a single evolutionary and ecological continuum. By integrating insights from field systems, laboratory experiments, and genomic analyses, my goal is to better understand how microbial dynamics in the environment ultimately shape health outcomes in clinical settings.

Key Collaborators:

Dr. Louis Cohen | Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY.

Matt Kemp, Ph.D. | National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Brad Spiller, Ph.D. | Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales.