I received my undergraduate degree in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley and Master of Science at Georgetown University. During my undergrad I was a student researcher in Janelle Noble’s laboratory at Children’s Hospital of Oakland Research Institute. After college, I worked as a technician in the laboratory of Alexis Dang at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Wanting to gain a better understanding of genetics, I enrolled in Genetics & Genomics Graduate Program at Baylor College of Medicine. I completed my graduate work in the laboratory of Juan Botas. In the Botas lab I developed an interest in integrating bioinformatics with high-throughput and classical experimental approaches to gain insight into molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration across different cell-types. In my post-doc, I am looking to apply these skills to studying how astrocytes participate in the formation and function of synaptic circuits across the visual system.

I received my BS from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where I majored in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Religion. As an undergraduate, I worked in the lab of Dr. Gretchen Neigh where I mainly focused on investigating metabolic and behavioral consequences of fructose exposure and adolescent stress. After graduating, I joined the CDC as an ORISE Fellow in the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch where I primarily worked on serological assay optimization and disease surveillance activities. I am currently a graduate student in the Neurosciences Graduate Program at UCSD. In the Allen lab, I am characterizing how changes to astrocyte-secreted factors contribute to synaptic dysfunction in aging and Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of lab, I enjoy camping, climbing, traveling and spending time with friends and family.

I received my undergraduate degree in Chemistry at MIT and studied biochemistry at Ludwig Maximilian University (Germany) before moving to San Diego to pursue my MD/PhD. I joined the Allen lab as a UC San Diego graduate student in Neuroscience, and I began researching the role of astrocyte proteins in neurodevelopmental disorders. Outside the lab, I enjoy rock climbing, reading, playing violin, hiking, and skiing.

I went into science knowing I wanted to explore the brain. I completed my B.S. in Biotechnology Engineering at Universidad Autónoma de Quéretaro, México. I discovered my passion for glia biology when I joined the Bhat Lab for an internship at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center studying glioblastoma. I understood then the fundamental role of glia in regulating functions of the brain. I joined the Allen lab through UC San Diego Neurosciences Graduate Program. My work in the Allen lab focuses on activity-regulated genes in astrocytes and their modulatory role in synaptic plasticity. Outside of the lab, I help make science available for non-scientific audiences, with emphasis on the Hispanic community. I love traveling, camping, and spending time outdoors with my fiancée, my family and friends, and my dogs: Glia and Loki, I named the former.