About
Hi, thanks for stopping by!
I'm a PhD student at Boston University working under Joe Larkin. My journey in the world of microbiomes began in 2014, and ever since, I've been captivated by the microscopic universe that exists within and around us.
During my undergraduate years, I embarked on a rather unique project titled "What's the Scoop on Poop?" I spent my time collecting horse poop at various horse-shows throughout western Massachusetts and Connecticut. My aim was to map the microbial diversity of equine microbiome, and I became somewhat of an oddity. At meetings I organized at feed stores, I encouraged others to bring their own samples to me.
After undergrad, I was fortunate enough to work on a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. I shifted my focus to the mosquito microbiome. Our goal was to develop a regional surveillance method to monitor malaria in places like Haiti and West Africa. And guess how we were doing it? Through mosquito excrement! This was a testament to my passion for using science as a tool to make a positive impact on our planet.
Then came graduate school. I hoped to diverge from the "sh***y" projects of my past and delve into something more 'serious.' But alas, I found myself studying another kind of excrement: plant exudates!
Inspiration for this project was sparked by an internship I took in 2021 with Joyn Bio, now a part of Ginkgo Bioworks. There, I was part of an incredible team, working as a strain engineer. Our aim was to engineer microbes with enhanced nitrogen fixation on corn. This experience, filled with technical challenges and breakthroughs, deeply inspired me. So much so that it became the foundation for my dissertation work, the very project I'm presenting now.
Beyond the technicalities and specific focus of my studies, there's a deeper drive that fuels my work. I am fervently passionate about finding innovative, creative, and equitable solutions to combat the looming threat of climate change.
Joined
October 2023
