My primary research interests involve understanding the regulation of gene expression in the archaeal domain of life. Of particular interest are methanogenic archaea. Their environmentally important and dedicated metabolism, along with transcription mechanisms based on both eukaryotic and bacterial components make them ideal organisms in which to study transcription level regulation in response to ever changing environmental conditions. Our current focus involves the regulation of oxidative stress responses in strictly anaerobic methanogens. Recently we discovered a regulator, MsvR, which appears to be involved in such responses in select methanogens
