She worked with Victor Nizet, MD at UCSD exploring how host responses dictate outcome of acute bacterial infections such as those caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group A Streptococcus (GAS), Group B Streptococcus (GBS), and Staphylococcus aureus. Her lab at UC Santa Cruz focuses on circadian rhythms and susceptibility to bacterial pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as how microbes influence the vertebrate circaidan clock.