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Expert's research program has focused on surveys of wastewaters, source waters, and drinking waters for waterborne disease-causing agents, specifically viruses and protozoa. She is working on new technologies for the recovery, detection, and identification of pathogens in water. She has also been involved in treatment technology for the control of microoganisms. This has included evaluation of pilot plant and full-scale drinking water facilities for the removal and inactivation of microorganisms.

During the past five years, Expert has been developing microbial risk assessment approaches for the modeling of adverse health effects associated with low-level contamination of drinking water. She has worked with the Environmental Protection Agency where the risk assessment approach was used in the development of the "Surface Water Treatment Rule" for the control of giardia. She is currently the Principal Investigator on a grant funded by the AWWRF on "Microbial Risk Assessment for Drinking Water."

Expert has studied viruses such as hepatitis, parasites such as crytosporodium and giardia, and bacteria such as legionella. Her research involves the detection of these agents, by both methods (gene probes) and surveys in water supplies, drinking water, wastewater, landfills, and residuals. She is particularly adept at the recovery and detection of enteric protozoa, enteric viruses, and indicator bacteria. Expert has been involved in investigations of water-borne outbreaks and has utilized microbial risk assessment models to determine the impact of contamination on public health.

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