Short Bio

Currently pursuing PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University. Current research is focused on understanding the way fungal pathogens sense and respond to novel environments in order to effectively cause disease in the human host. Specifically, I work in the Alspaugh lab studying the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and we are investigating how this microbe adapts to changes in environmental pH using both the dynamics of the plasma membrane and a fungal-specific alkaline response signaling pathway. 

Previously, received B.S. in Biological Sciences from Denison University. My undergraduate research experience was performed in Dr. Eric Liebl's lab at Denison where we studied the genetics of development using Drosphila melanogaster as a model system.  

Areas of expertise include microbial/fungal genetics, membrane biology and biochemistry, mouse models, and protein work. I am also very passionate about education, science communication, and science policy outreach.