Research

Methodology

• Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics Tools for elucidating enzyme function and regulation
• Computational Bioinformatics and Structural Modeling for sequence analysis, phylogenetic inference, and protein structure prediction
• High Resolution Mass Spectrometry-Enabled Metabolomics for comprehensive profiling of enzymatic transformations and pathway elucidation
• AI-Driven Protein Engineering and Design for predictive optimization of enzyme function, specificity, and stability

Scientific Questions

• How do microbial enzymes recognize and transform structurally diverse compounds across environmental, agricultural, and energy-relevant contexts?
• What molecular mechanisms govern enzyme specificity, promiscuity, and catalytic efficiency?
• How can multi-omics and metabolomics approaches be integrated to resolve hidden pathways?
• How can we rationally design or evolve enzymes to enable sustainable solutions?

Scope

We develop enzyme-driven solutions to address critical challenges at the interface of environmental sustainability, public health, and energy. Our work centers on harnessing microorganisms and enzymes to transform and remove contaminants of emerging concern, including 1,4-dioxane, PFAS, antibiotics, and pesticides, while also advancing strategies to mitigate the spread and impact of antibiotic resistance in natural and engineered systems.

Beyond bioremediation, we explore microbial and biochemical pathways that enable sustainable practices in green agriculture and bioenergy. This includes the development of biological alternatives to antibiotics and pesticides, as well as the utilization of microbial processes for methane valorization and biofuel production. Through these efforts, we aim to bridge environmental cleanup with resource recovery and sustainable production.

We further pursue interdisciplinary approaches to improve urban water and wastewater treatment technologies, integrating advanced materials and biotechnologies, such as nanomaterial-enabled disinfection and biomass-derived sorbents for trace contaminant removal.

To elucidate microbial processes across these systems, we combine culture-dependent methods with cutting-edge molecular and computational tools, including cloning, omics, single-cell analysis, and bioinformatics. We also develop innovative and cost-effective genetic and functional biomarkers to enable rapid, quantitative assessment of key microbial populations and activities in complex environments.

Funding Support