My research interests focus on understanding how the bacterial foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium survive within the food system and subsequently cause disease. Millions of foodborne illness cases occur each year, making food safety of critical importance to public health. My research uses elements of microbiology as well as genetics, molecular biology, ecology, etc. to study the pathogenicity of these microorganisms and how they are transmitted
