dmok

Hi there! I am a PhD Candidate at Michigan State University interested in the physiology and evolution of complex plant traits. My studies focus on the evolution of CAM photosynthesis, a specialized metabolism that some plants can use to save water by capturing CO2 at night, avoiding the hotter drier days. Plants have always interested me, particularly those that are able persist in habitats without what I consider the "Big 3 plant needs": (1) Abundant water; (2) light; and (3) nutrients. This fascination has driven me to, for some reason, always find quirky and "weird" plants the most interesting to study (lucky me! CAM plants tend to fit these criteria). However, being "non-models", these plants need the most resource development, such as innovative physiological techniques and de novo genomic data, which I personally find to be a stimulating and motivational process.

I am currently in my fourth year of my PhD and am starting to wrap up my dissertation project investigating CAM evolution in carnivorous plants, and some side projects I've started looking at CAM and photosynthesis in a leafless orchid! I am currently exploring additional systems and directions to incorporate in my (hopefully) future research program!

October 2026