Current Research

Growing up in western Michigan and completing an undergraduate degree in chemistry at Calvin College, I came to Bozeman, MT three years ago and am progressing toward a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry. With a wide range of scientific interests, I am working on the hydrogenase biosynthesis project. This project is particularly exciting as it probes and explores the many unknown details of [FeFe]-hydrogenase maturation and has practical applications toward renewable energy technology. Currently, the focus of my work is characterizing the HydA structural protein from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. This work involves protein purification and characterization via x-ray crystallography, EPR, Mossbauer and x-ray absorption spectroscopies. Recent research suggests maturation proteins HydE, HydF and HydG are involved in transferring a cluster precursor to HydA, consequently in vitro activating HydA to be able to catalyze the reversible oxidation of molecular hydrogen. Complete characterization of HydA pre and post activation will be fundamental toward understanding [FeFe]-hydrogenase maturation and H-cluster biosynthesis.

I am also involved in a solution small angle x-ray scattering study (SAXS) that entails exploring the relationship between different nucleotide bound states of the nitrogenase Fe protein. Complimenting x-ray crystallography, SAXS is a valuable method as it makes it possible to probe protein conformation and behavior in solution. When I am not spending time in the lab, I enjoy flyfishing, backpacking and skiing in the mountains around Bozeman.