My research focuses on delineating the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that underlie metabolic suppression and nutrient recycling in hibernating mammals. I am an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and Wildlife and the Institute of Arctic Biology at University of Alaska Fairbanks.  My work integrates physiology, biochemistry, metabolism, neuroscience and nutrition, and my research is related to both human health and comparative animal physiology. 

My long-term objectives are to: 1) elucidate novel molecular mechanisms of metabolic suppression from hibernators for translation to medical therapeutics, 2) understand the fundamental biochemical and molecular basis driving nutrient sparing in hibernating mammals, and 3) create a creative and enjoyable graduate and undergraduate training program and stay engaged with community outreach