Hannah's proposed research investigates the functions of the lignin biosynthesis pathway in phytoplankton and explores the potential antibacterial properties of monolignols. The study aims to validate the antimicrobial effects of monolignols by comparing gene expression levels and assessing the performance of phytoplankton under environmental stressors. The findings have significant relevance to climate change and its impacts on marine ecosystems, particularly in relation to increasing bacterial infections.

During her undergraduate, Hannah focused on the plasticity of diatom growth dynamics. She also gained experience in characterizing environmental isolates of the cyanobacteria Syneccochocus.