I am originally from San Diego and moved to the bay to attend SFSU where I got my BS in nutrition and volunteered at the VA medical center studying the effects of hemodialysis on bone density. After graduation, I pivoted to neurodevelopment research as an intern at UCSF in the Kriegstein Lab where I investigated how neural stem cells contribute to cellular diversity in human development through studies with both primary tissues and cortical organoids. Afterwards, I joined the Nowakowski Lab, in collaboration with Dr. Ethan Winkler in neurosurgery, where I developed a vascularized cortical organoid model for the study of
cerebrovascular development and disease. Now, as a BMS graduate student, I am excited to continue my studies of cerebrovasculature to better understand the development of the blood brain barrier, the origins of different vascular cell progenitors or the mechanisms by which vascular dysfunction arises and contributes to neurodegenerative diseases. In my spare time, I enjoy taking day trips around California with my kayak, reading novels/poetry in Golden Gate Park and going to stand-up comedy and drag shows.