Water is essential to Life. But…

Biology is wet: cellular metabolism can only occur when cells are hydrated. Thus, organisms must have evolved mechanisms to sense water availability and to respond to its absence to ensure survival. Compellingly, certain organisms have evolved ways to temporarily survive desiccation (i.e., the near-complete absence of water) and are showing us the limits of biology.

Since proteins need water to remain soluble and folded, the adaptations that desiccation-tolerant organisms have evolved could help us bolster proteostasis and ameliorate protein aggregation in human disease. These studies also have direct applications to agriculture in times of climate change.

Together with collaborators we are exploring the molecular mechanisms of water sensing and desiccation tolerance.