We use biochemistry, cell biology, and genetics to study plastid development and function in horticultural crops and in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In horticultural crops, we are studying the relationship between the development and function of chloroplasts and the nutritional quality and yield of these crops.

As of 2019, research topics in my laboratory include:

1. In both lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa), we are studying genes that promote the accumulation of chlorophyll and we are studying the relationship between the accumulation of chlorophyll and both the accumulation of nutritionally significant metabolites and yield.

2. In Arabidopsis thaliana and horticultural crops, we are studying a mechanism that helps to allocate cellular space to chloroplasts.

3. In Arabidopsis thaliana, we are studying signaling mechanisms and processes that promote the biogenesis and function of chloroplasts.