After receiving a BA from the University of Arizona in 2004, I completed a PhD in Human Genetics in 2010 from the University of California, Los Angeles. Under mentorship from Jake Lusis, my studies identified genetic variants that in part determine how individuals respond differently to the same pro-inflammatory stimulus. Next, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship under mentorship from Christopher Glass at the University of California, San Diego. There, I utilized genetic variation among laboratory mice to identify mechanisms by which regulatory elements called enhancers establish cell type-appropriate gene regulatory programs.
I received the prestigious K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from the NIH Heart Lung and Blood Institute that has supported my transition from trainee to independent Principal Investigator. I started as an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona in 2016.
The goal of my research program is to leverage the interconnected relationship between genetic variation, transcriptional regulatory networks, and disease susceptibility to identify mechanisms that drive inflammatory disease.