[5] Storey's 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.

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.

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.