Research Focus

I work with modern bivalves to explore the growth and function of molluscan shell and better understand the context in which certain adaptations evolved. My research combines experimental marine biology with molecular and imaging techniques, as well as geochemical analyses, to better understand molluscan shell formation. Current research projects focus on the morphology and formation of oyster chalky deposits, including whether or not this unique shell feature is influenced by microbial metabolism within the oyster itself. I am currently a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California Davis.