The central mantra of our group is sustainability through the implementation of green chemistry principles, such that our synthetic work is environmentally friendly.  We create sustainable materials by uniting green chemistry with biology, exploring biocatalysis, biobased polymer synthesis, biosurfactant design, microbial materials, fermentation, and enzyme engineering to build the next generation of sustainable technologies. Collaboration is at the heart of our lab, driving partnerships across disciplines and with industry to transform bold ideas into real-world impact.

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​Research foci include: 1) developing a better understanding of how enzyme promiscuity and selectivity for non-natural chemistries can be harnessed for polyester, peptide and bacterial cellulose synthesis, 2) tailoring biosurfactant structure for therapeutic use and commodity applications, 3) understand how microbially produced monomers and polymers can provide unique material properties, and 4) develop enzymes through protein engineering and immobilization for an array of functions, including the conversion of post-consumer plastics to value-added products.