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I received my PhD (May 2022) in the Shikuma Lab at San Diego State University in the Cell and Molecular Biology Joint Doctoral Program with University of California, San Diego. I was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2017-2022) and ARCs Scholar (2020-2022). My PhD research used bacterial genetics and genomics to study the properties of bacteria that influence the settlement and metamorphosis of marine invertebrates (tubeworms, Hydractinia and corals). As a postdoc in the Shikuma Lab, I adapted and applied genetic tools to manipulate non-model marine bacteria.
I am currently a postdoc at the Innovative Genomics Institute (UC Berkeley), working under the guidance of Dr. Ben Rubin and Dr. Jennifer Doudna. My research falls within the BIOME initiative, developing microbiome editing tools and applying them in anaerobic lignin-degrading microbial communities. My work is supported by the Joint Bioenergy Institute. In 2025, I will be starting my research lab at the University of Rhode Island in the College of Pharmacy as an assistant professor. My lab will utilize new and cutting-edge genetic tools to study marine host-microbe and microbiome interactions in ecologically impacted systems, like corals. Beyond research, I enjoy outdoor activities, mentoring women and minorities in STEM, scientific communication and being a good colleague and friend. |