Areas of Interest
Candida auris is an emergent fungal pathogen that has quickly spread throughout the globe from its first isolation in 2009, where it is now responsible for causing hospital outbreaks and invasive disease in over 50 countries. Despite this threat, there are only three classes of antifungals currently available and drug resistance is becoming increasingly common in the clinics. Unfortunately, future therapeutic development is hindered by our lack of knowledge of C. auris biology and pathogenesis. To understand how this pathogen responds and adapts to diverse cellular stresses, my research focuses on using gene co-expression, a powerful tool to understand gene function, and high-throughput transcriptomics in this fungal pathogen. From my work, I hope to identify mechanisms of pathogenesis and environmental adaptation that can serve as a target for future antifungal therapeutics.