My research interests lie primarily in the fields of biochemistry, bioinformatics, computational chemistry, and chemical education.

I am currently interested in the physical three-dimensional modeling of RNA motifs that occur in bacterial ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These physical models are created using several different computer programs (Swiss-PDB Viewer, RP-RasMol, Magics-RP) and using several different rapid prototyping techniques (such as powder-binder 3-D printing as well as fused-deposition modeling (FDM)). I am currently working in collaboration with Dr. Neocles B. Leontis of the Department of Chemistry at Bowling Green State University in constructing physical 3-D models of interesting motifs for the RNA Ontology Consortium (ROC), based at BGSU. These models are then studied by bioinformaticians and biochemists who are not only interested in the chemisty occurring in the phosphate-sugar backbone and base-pairing mechanisms, but also in the structural differences between segments of rRNA between different archaebacteria.

Several models have already been developed along these lines: they include a Watson-Crick (WC) canonical double-helix, the c-loop, the sarcin-ricin (loop e), and the kink-turn motifs. Other models of note include the SARS virus, as well as types A and B of the RNase P ribozymes.

I am also interested in ways to bring these models ¡°mainstream¡± and developing these models as teaching tools for not only biochemistry, but for introductory chemistry at the undergraduate and high-school levels. These models have been successively been used in outreaching programs in conjunction with the University of Toledo¡¯s GEAR Up program, as well as the EXCEL program. It is hoped that a collection of lesson plans (with classroom activities) will be generated within the upcoming year.

Finally, I am interested in improving the way students learn chemistry: through their laboratory course, lecture materials, textbook, and online components for chemistry courses. I am interested in hands-on group learning, and try to find ways to exploit this in a large lecture (~200 people) classroom.