I was born in Reading, Pennsylvania where I started my academic journey at community college before transferring to Penn State and earning a B.S. in biology. As an undergraduate, I investigated antibiotic-resistance bacteria in local waterways, an experience that started my interest in research. I further explored this interest as a summer fellow at the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, where I used yeast to create a calibration curve for the incorporation of deuterium into proteins. I then worked as a postbaccalaureate fellow at the National Institutes of Health, studying Polycomb group protein recruitment in Drosophila melanogaster.
Now, I study host-pathogen interactions, using genetic and chemical approaches to uncover novel, host-directed therapeutic targets, and I plan to continue a career pursuing translational research. Beyond the lab, you can find expanding my vinyl and CD collection, watching everything sci-fi related or hunting for a great red wine.