My earlier graduate school research revolved around conservation biology issues; including the development of a logistic-predictor model based on field research data for the occurrence of Brown-headed cowbirds in northern Michigan hardwood forests and Golden-headed lion tamarin monkeys in northeastern Brazil.  My doctoral research focused on examining the effects of early postnatal exposure to arginine vasopressin and subsequent behavioral development in prairie voles as a potential model for exploring the neuroendocrine basis for the development of aggression in children.  My post-doctoral research at the University of Michigan Medical School involved the use of gene therapy and various experimental, pharmacological agents as means of treating human uterine leiomyoma tumors grafted into Balb/c nude and  SCID mice.  My current research interests include: (1) examining the prevalence of toxicological substances in human tissues, (2) developing mathematical models of infectious disease transmission using a landscape-level ecological approach and (3) improving medical education content for medical, dental and undergraduate students by employing novel techniques in the classroom and the laboratory settings.