Professor Thorn's research focuses on phylogenetic systematics and ecology, biodiversity and discovering "missing" fungal diversity. The long-term research goal of the Thorn lab is to explore the relationships between phylogeny and function - evolution and ecology - in fungi. Major research areas in Thorn’s lab include phylogeny of fungi inhabiting soil, litter and wood, discovery and description of fungal diversity, and determining the effects of disturbance, including agriculture, climate change and forestry, on fungal diversity and ecosystem function.