My research focuses have two main branches: 1. the generation of improved protocols and processes for genetic analyses in various fields and 2. the role of the mitochondrial genome in aging and disease. One major area of focus is next-generation sequencing-based human identification for forensic purposes. We are working to develop streamlined processes for identification of forensic samples using Oxford Nanopore Technology’s MinION device. This includes whole mitochondrial genome sequencing, traditional short tandem repeat profiling, and single nucleotide polymorphism typing. Additionally, we are interested microbial community interrogation for forensically relevant information (geolocation, PMI, etc.), as well as qPCR-based microbial analysis for vector carrying pathogens. My other main focus is on the impact of the mitochondrial DNA on health and aging. I am interested in the transmission of mitochondrial epigenetics from parent to offspring and their implications in disease, with a particular focus on the cyto-nuclear interactions that contribute to late onset diseases.