I am a biosensor researcher and postdoctoral scientist working at the intersection of nucleic acid chemistry, point-of-care diagnostics, and health equity. My research focuses on developing aptamer-based and CRISPR-integrated sensing platforms that are rapid, affordable, and deployable in community settings without laboratory infrastructure, cold chain requirements, or technical expertise to operate.

My current work spans paper-based aptasensor design, gold nanoparticle signal transduction, and nucleic acid diagnostic platforms for infectious disease and small molecule detection. A central motivation is closing the diagnostic access gap between what is technically achievable in well-resourced laboratory settings and what actually reaches the communities who need it most- particularly in Aotearoa New Zealand and across the Pacific, where laboratory access in primary care and community health settings remains limited.

Alongside my research, I work part-time as a DNA chemist at a New Zealand biotechnology startup, and independently as a technical due diligence consultant for life science investors evaluating early-stage diagnostic companies. These roles keep my work grounded in the realities of translating science into manufacturable products- and in understanding what it takes for a diagnostic technology to move from a published proof of concept to something that actually reaches patients.