I am commonly referred to as "Doc"
around the lab. I grew up in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. I received a degree in Nutrition from the
University of Northern Colorado in December 1991. As a
result, of my study of nutrition, I developed a passion to learn
and understand as much as I could about biochemistry. So,
instead of pursuing an internship, I pursued a doctoral degree
in Biochemistry at Utah State University. I was
awarded a Willard Eccles Family Foundation Fellowship to
engage in my doctoral studies. I worked in the
laboratories of Dr. Steve Aust and Dr. Tom Grover
evaluating the mechanisms of reactions catalyzed by
heme-containing peroxidases. I earned my doctoral
degree in September 1996 and then went on to postdoctoral
studies in the laboratory of Dr. Larry Marnett in the Department
of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
My primary area of research in the Marnett laboratory was the
mechanisms of intramolecular electron transfer in prostaglandin
H synthase. In the Fall of 1999, I joined the
faculty of the Department of Chemistry at Auburn University.
Since then it has been my honor and pleasure to divide my
professional time between biochemical discovery and teaching
students about the amazing molecular systems that underlie
biological function. Since July 1, 2020, I have also been
honored to serve the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as
its Chair. Click here to view my
Biographical
Sketch.