Posts classified under: Alumni

I grew up in New York City and attended a math and science specialized high school. I traded in the hustle and bustle of the city for sunshine at the California Institute of Technology where I received my B.S. in Chemistry. I pursued Ph.D. at UCLA in the Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry with Dr. Todd Yeates, studying X-ray crystallography and Bacterial Microcompartment proteins. Currently, I am a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Jessica Wang and co-sponsor Dr. Jake Lusis in the Dept of Medicine-Cardiology. Under the direction of my sponsors, I apply my background in structural and molecular biology to basic research in Heart Failure and Inherited Cardiomyopathies. We use in vivo and in vitro approaches to identify novel genetic factors contributing to disease, both from the clinic and from animal models. In addition, I enjoy doing science outreach activities with the Organization for Cultural Diversity in Science.

I have been lucky to be the recipient of a great STEM education that has allowed me to persist toward degrees in STEM. However, the traditional STEM education leaves many students behind and much reform is needed. I believe using evidence-based practices is the key to improving the way we teach science and even to increasing diversity in science. With the IRACDA fellowship in partnership with CSULA mentor Dr. Jamil Momand in the Dept of Biochemistry, I aim to learn new methods of teaching & assessment and prepare for an academic career in research & teaching.

I was born in Bogota, Colombia and immigrated to New Jersey at 6 years of age with my family. We lived there for 5 years as my father, a psychiatrist, finished his residency training. He obtained a sponsored position in Indiana and we moved there when I was 12. I stayed in Indiana through college, a master’s program (Masters of Science in Medical Science through IU Med school), and work as a technician in Dr. Anthony Firulli’s cardiac development lab. I then applied to graduate school and was fortunate enough to be accepted and attend UCSD Biomedical Sciences PhD program in 2010. There I worked with Dr. Rolf Bodmer on ion channel and idiopathic cardiac arrhythmias using Drosophila as a model. I graduated in 2016 and am now in the lab of Dr. Leanne Jones working on the characterization of factors that influence cell fate decisions of stem cells and their progeny, also using Drosophila as a model system.

My ultimate goal is to teach as a main lecturer in a primarily undergraduate institution while also taking my passion for teaching and research skills into my own lab.

I am from Southern California, born and raised. Earned my Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematics at California State University Fullerton. I received my PhD in Biological Sciences with a focus on computational biology from the University of California Irvine under the supervision of both Drs. Lee Bardwell (Developmental and Cell Biology) and German Enciso (Mathematics). My PhD dissertation focused on understanding protein regulatory mechanisms in cell signaling. We used both mathematical modeling and experimental analyses to understand how protein post-translational modifications influence protein activity.

Currently, I am working in Dr. Eric Deeds’ lab, studying the proteasome assembly from both a systems biology approach and an experimental one. My professional goals include pursuing a career as a research professor and both teach and conduct research.

When I am not in the lab, I spend time bullet journaling, creating stationary and taking care of my many houseplants. Having a highly interdisciplinary training, I hope to provide an inclusive and equitable environment for all students, including those with similar backgrounds and identities as my own.