My research interests are directed at discerning the characteristic (repeatable) patterns in biological information that help to explain the properties and interactions of biological systems. My approach to this problem is accomplished through the development and application of computational techniques to assist in the collection, storage, retrieval, annotation, analysis, and visualization of biological data. Current technology has provided us with an explosion of genetic information based upon individual gene sequences, the sequences of whole genomes, gene expression data (microarrays), as well as protein expression data (proteomics). The field of Microbiology in particular has benefited from such advances through the compilation of whole genome sequences from dozens of microorganisms ranging in size from small viruses and plasmids to complete bacterial and yeast genomes. The enormity of the available data has the potential of overwhelming our ability to make use of this data and thus requires a new emphasis on the development and use of computational tools and techniques that collectively have come to be known as Bioinformatics. My work extends from these needs and involves the development of the tools and techniques necessary for the analysis of genetic sequence information on a whole genome level, and most importantly, to apply this work to the real-world analysis of eukaryotic, bacterial and viral genomes. Recent projects include the annotation and comparative analysis of the complete genomic sequence of several different Mycoplasma bacteria; the annotation and comparative analysis of the complete genomes of several Streptococcus pneumoniae strains; and the development of bioinformatic resources to support biodefense research on microbial pathogens including poxviruses, viral hemorrhagic fevers, as well as organisms that could be classified as new or emerging biological threats. The goals of this work are to provide bioinformatic resources and analyses that can be used to support the development of environmental detectors, diagnostics, animal models, vaccines, and antimicrobial drugs, as well as provide a better understanding of the molecular biology, evolution, and epidemiology of these agents