My research program combines my backgrounds in engineering and mathematical modeling to study the role of biophysical processes in disease progression and population-level transmission. In particular, the biological hydrogel mucus is a key model system we are interested in. In-host, mucus serves as a physical and biochemical barrier, excluding pathogens from reaching underlying susceptible cells. Externally, mucosalivary droplets transport pathogens between hosts, and transmission probability is intimately tied to the processes of droplet fragmentation and virus stability in these biochemically rich droplets. Our research interests include improving our understanding of the structure of mucus and the polymer network formed by its main macromolecular unit, mucin, and to understand how mucus microstructure impacts the transport of pathogens and therapeutics. We also aim to study the effect of mucins on the survival of pathogens emitted in respiratory droplets.