The focus of her research is to explore the regulatory mechanisms controlling nitrogen uptake and assimilation in plants using a systems biology approach. The overarching goal of her research is to use predictive network modeling to identify the most effective engineering strategies to improve crop productivity in response to environmental challenges imposed by global climate change. Specific research interests include dynamic network modeling to explore regulation of long-distance nitrogen signaling between roots and shoots; using multi-scale modeling to integrate new and legacy plant models across biological levels for more accurate prediction of plant response to environmental signals; and exploring molecular networks that underlie high- and low-quality legume-rhizobium mutualisms.