Research Interests

I am a mathematical/computational biologist. My research lies at the interface of molecular biology, mathematics, computer science and polymer physics. I specialize in the application of topological tools and discrete methods to study DNA, RNA and their interactions with proteins. My work is currently focused on the following lines of inquiry: (1) DNA Topology: the packing of chromosomes in human cells and viral capsids, and the mechanism of site-specific recombinases and topoisomerases as it relates to knotting and interlinking of DNA; (2) Evolution and dynamics of coronaviruses: we use bioinformatics, biophysical models, and topological data analysis to study viral evolution, with an emphasis on identifying complex chromosomal rearrangements; (3) Structure and formation of R-loops: using a combination of experimental and quantitative methods to study the formation and the 3-dimensional structure of R-loops and other triple helices. 

Graduate Program Affiliations

• Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group