Photo credit: Mary Schwalm / AP Images for HHMI
B.Sc in Genomic Sciences | National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)
PhD in Biology | Zanders Lab at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Postdoctoral Fellow | Murray Lab at Harvard University
I strive to establish a lab known for its intellectual rigor and creativity in unraveling fundamental biological processes. My goal is to do high quality research in a welcoming lab environment where everyone feels empowered.
email: mb2799 [at] cornell.edu
pronouns: she/her
office: room 449, Biotechnology Building
B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences | Acharya Narendra Dev College, Delhi University, India
M.Sc. in Biological Sciences | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, India
PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology | Cornell University
I studied DNA repair and recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae during my PhD, and now focus on parameiosis—a unique recombination pathway in Candida albicans that may drive genomic instability and adaptive fitness. Between these roles, I worked at a canine DNA testing company identifying genetic variants linked to disease and traits.
B.Sc in Pharmacy | Chongqing Medical University
M.Sc in Pharmaceutical Science | University of Southern California
My master thesis is about the discovery inhibitors for tau aggregation. Now, my focus is to discover non-meiosis ploidy reduction mechanisms in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
For motivated undergraduates, check for opportunities in our lab here.
Prospective graduate students interested in conducting their PhD thesis in the lab should apply through the GGD or BMCB PhD programs at Cornell. If you are already at Cornell and want to do a rotation, please reach out to discuss opportunities.
Prospective postdocs: reach out to María directly via email (mb2799 [at] cornell.edu). To apply, please submit your current CV, a brief overview of your PhD research, and a paragraph outlining your key research interests and what excites you about joining our lab.