He is one of the pioneers of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and nuclear spin relaxation methods as applied to proteins, lipid membranes, surfactants, and liquid crystals. His unique focus is on magnetic-field-dependent solid-state NMR relaxation methods and their applications to molecular dynamics of membrane lipids and proteins. Brown's research also combines solid-state NMR relaxation with ultrafast X-ray diffraction methods based on free-electron lasers (XFELs) for investigating the functional dynamics of biomolecules. His innovation of using solid-state deuterium NMR spectroscopy for exploring the structure and dynamics of liquid-crystalline molecules, including membrane lipids and membrane proteins, has had a substantial impact on biophysical chemistry and molecular spectroscopy. He is also exploring how membrane lipids and water control the functions of proteins through dynamic allostery and energy landscape mechanisms.