My research interests are driven by the pressing need for new antibiotics and their potential impact on public health. As antimicrobial resistance poses a critical threat to global health, I am dedicated to contributing to the advancement of current patient outcomes. My primary research focus is on drug design and the discovery of antimicrobial agents, particularly on the use of photoswitchable amphiphilic lipids as a photopharmacology strategy to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections. Additionally, I am also involved in tuberculosis drug discovery, which is another significant area of my research. By pursuing these areas of study, I aim to make meaningful contributions to the development of new treatments that will benefit patients and public health.

Tuberculosis (TB) has plagued humanity for over 11,000 years, and it remains a formidable threat to global public health today. Despite significant advances in medicine and healthcare, TB  is again the deadliest infectious disease in the world after temporally trailing COVID-19. According to the World Health Organization, TB was responsible for 1.4 million deaths worldwide in 2021, with drug-resistant forms of the disease (DR-TB) posing a major challenge to healthcare authorities and researchers alike. While recent advancements have yielded promising results in the treatment of DR-TB, the emergence of new resistant strains demonstrates the need for ongoing research and development of novel compounds to combat this pervasive disease.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major and pressing challenge to human health, posing an increasing threat worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that a post-antibiotic era, where even minor injuries and common infections can prove fatal, is no longer a distant possibility, but a very real and imminent danger for the 21st century. Sadly, the problem of AMR is only worsening, and it has been decades since the development of any new class of antibiotics.

One of the primary causes of this scarcity of new antibiotics is the historically low cost of these drugs, coupled with their relatively short lifespan, which has led to many companies abandoning antibiotic research due to poor economic returns on their investment. This, in turn, has contributed significantly to the rise of antibiotic resistance. Given the alarming global threat posed by drug-resistant infections, it is crucial to prioritize the discovery of new antibiotics and address the urgent need for their development. 

Malaria is a life-threatening disease that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of cases occur. Although there are currently drugs available to treat malaria, the emergence of drug-resistant strains of the malaria parasite poses a significant threat to global health. As a result, there is a critical need for the development of new drugs to combat this disease. The discovery and development of new antimalarial drugs are essential to improve treatment options, prevent the spread of resistant strains, and ultimately save lives. As a researcher in the field of malaria drug discovery, I am dedicated to advancing our understanding of this disease and identifying new treatment options to combat this devastating illness.