Research Interests

My research interests lay in bioprocess engineering, essentially convincing bacteria and fungi to do something interesting including degradation of compounds (biofiltration, wool scour colour) or production of compounds (microbial cellulose, methanol). Many of my projects are interconnected through my interest in unsaturated biofilms. Through control and manipulation of the unsaturated water environment, I am trying understand their metabolism and to enhance their activity.
-Understanding the hydrodynamic and biological fundamentals of three phase, low water content, biological reactor systems. This includes reaction systems such as biofiltration, trickle beds, and vadoze zone, in situ bioremediation.
-Use of novel organisms grown under harsh biological conditions or maintained in non-growth conditions for high volume transformations that are less susceptible to contamination.
-Microbial dynamics with respect to transient responses of pure cultures and dynamics of mixed cultures. Investigation of time-dependent models for control research.
-Applications of advanced control in fermentation. Development of feedback control in distributed parameter and multi-nutrient dependent systems along with novel sensor implementation.