Research Interests
My research in the Maeda Lab focuses on the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme, which connects aromatic amino acid biosynthesis to the phenylpropanoid pathway. This enzyme is diverse, with some PALs exhibiting expanded substrate utilization, such as phenylalanine/tyrosine ammonia-lyases found in grasses and closely related species, and others displaying reduced feedback regulation, such as non-canonical PALs. I aim to provide context for how these enzymes behave in their natural biological systems including their metabolic roles, interactions with other enzymes, and spatiotemporal expression patterns to understand their significance in their native hosts.
Education
MS, Botany, UW–Madison, 2026
BA, Botany/Biochemistry, Ohio Wesleyan University, 2024