Storeys research includes studies of enzyme properties, gene expression, protein phosphorylation, epigenetics, and cellular signal transduction mechanisms to seek out the basic principles of how organisms endure and flourish under extreme conditions. He is particularly known within the field of cryobiology for his studies of animals that can survive freezing, especially the frozen "frog-sicles" (Rana sylvatica) that have made his work popular with multiple TV shows and magazines. Storeys studies of the adaptations that allow frogs, insects, and other animals to survive freezing have made major advances in the understanding of how cells, tissues and organs can endure freezing. Storey was also responsible for the discovery that some turtle species are freeze tolerant: newly hatched painted turtles that spend their first winter on land (Chrysemys picta marginata & C. p. bellii). These turtles are unique as they are the only reptiles, and highest vertebrate life form, known to tolerate prolonged natural freezing of extracellular body fluids during winter hibernation. These advances may aid the development of organ cryopreservation technology.  A second area of his research is metabolic rate depression - understanding the mechanisms by which some animals can reduce their metabolism and enter a state of hypometabolism or torpor that allows them to survive prolonged environmental stresses. His studies have identified molecular mechanisms that underlie metabolic arrest across phylogeny and that support phenomena including mammalian hibernation, estivation, and anoxia- and ischemia-tolerance. These studies hold key applications for medical science, particularly for preservation technologies that aim to extend the survival time of excised organs in cold or frozen storage. Additional applications include insights into hyperglycemia in metabolic syndrome and diabetes, and anoxic and ischemic damage caused by heart attack and stroke. Furthermore, Storey's lab has created several web based programs freely available for [http://www.kenstoreylab.com/research-tools/ data management, data plotting, and microRNA analysis].