I joined the Laboratory of Electrophiles and Genome Operations (LEAGO) because of the interdisciplinary research being done at the complex intersection of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Biology. Thus, I took a large leap from sunny California to alpine Switzerland to further develop myself as a scientist beyond what traditional chemistry could offer. Pursuing a PhD is a long commitment, so why not also live somewhere you are going enjoy—like EPFL right next to the lake.
My project is informed by the nucleophilicity of functional groups in amino acids, the structural folds of proteins, and how these two factors play a fundamental role in determining outcomes for individual cells and whole model organisms. The main goal is to understand how to target specific proteins and rationally design drugs with covalent handles. In fact, we recently uncovered a key protein-drug interaction that explains how a blockbuster drug works to decrease symptoms in relapsing MS patients.