Education
2019-Present
M.D./Ph.D. Program
LSU Health New Orleans
2017-2018
M.S. Medical Genetics
Tulane University School of Medicine
2010-2014
B.A. Biology
Minor in Studio Art
Ph.D. Thesis: “Examining the Influence of Host and Viral Genetics on SARS-CoV-2 Disease Severity in Local and National Clinical Datasets”
Advisor: Lucio Miele, MD, PhD ; Director, LSU-LCMC Health Cancer Center
Master’s Thesis: “The Effects of the Microbiome and Metabolome in Mismatch Repair Deficient Patients”
Advisor: Zachary Pursell, PhD; Ass. Professor, Tulane University SOM
Honor’s Thesis: “The Effects of Complete Nutrient Depletion, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium, in Arabidopsis”
Advisor: Gloria Coruzzi, PhD; Caroll and Milton Petire Professor in Biology, NYU; Member of the National Academy of Sciences
Research Experiences
Graduate (Ph.D.)
LSU Health New Orleans
April 2021-Present
Advisor: Lucio Miele, MD, PhD
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Relationship between HLA variation and severe COVID-19 outcomes: Acquired funding, project manager, data analysis, manuscript generation/prep.
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Transcriptomic analysis of type 2 diabetes associated Triple Negative Breast Cancer clinical samples
Post-Undergraduate
New York University
April 2016-May 2017
Advisor: Gloria Coruzzi, PhD
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Managed several projects on nitrogen use efficiency in Zea mays, Oryza sativa, and Arabidopsis thaliana
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Managed project funded by DOE with collaborations between Cold Spring Harbor and the New York Botanical Garden
Ph.D. Rotation
LSU Health New Orleans
May 2019-Aug 2020
Advisor: Sunyoung Kim, PhD (no relation)
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Proteomic analysis of clinical neonatal fecal samples focusing on altered carbohydrate metabolism
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Helped develop an IRB for adult Inflammatory Bowel Disease biobank
Post-Undergraduate
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
May 2014-Apr 2016
Advisor: Eric Pamer, MD
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Prepared samples in a clinical trial for autologous fecal microbiota transplantation to lower incidence of C. difficile
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Optimized protocols for RNA shotgun sequencing of microbiome
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Genotyping of microbiota via V4-V5 for various microbiome projects
Graduate (M.S.)
Tulane University School of Medicine
Aug 2017-July 2018
Advisor: Zachary Pursell, PhD
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Masters thesis on the effects of high glycemic index diets and the microbiome/metabolome on colorectal cancer in Lynch (HNPCC) syndrome
Undergraduate
New York University
Dec 2011-May 2014
Advisor: Gloria Coruzzi, PhD
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Prepared RNA samples of hormone treated Arabidopsis thaliana
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Data analysis and data generation for a project studying Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana
Honors and Awards
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2026 American Association of Immunology Trainee Abstract Award Research
Podium presenter for 2026 American Association of Immunology conference in Boston, MA
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Gonfalonier for Candidates in Graduate Sciences in 152 LSU Health Sciences Center Commencement, May 2025 Other Honor or Award Classification
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2025 LSUHSC Medical Student Research Enhancement Program Grant Grant
Inaugural recipient of $10,000 medical student research grant
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2nd Place Southern Society for Clinical Investigation Young Investigator Award at the 2025 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation Southern Regional Meeting Research
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Blue Ribbon Awardee of the 2025 Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Conference Research
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Inaugural Speaker for William Schnaper TL1 Visiting Scholar In Person Grand Rounds at Georgetown-Howard GHUCCTS, June 2024, Washington D.C. Other Honor or Award Classification
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2024-2025 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Pre-doctoral Research Training Program (T32) Award, University of Alabama Birmingham Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences Grant
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Blue Ribbon Awardee of the 2024 Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) Conference Research
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1st Place winner of the Nathan Solomon & Irene Oransky-Solomon Medical Student Award of the 2024 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation Southern Regional Meeting Research
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Best Presentation Runner Up Award, William Schnaper Visiting Scientist TL1 Minisymposium 2024 Research
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2024 LSUHSC Medical Student Travel Award Grant
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2023-2024 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Pre-doctoral Research Training Program (TL1) Award, University of Alabama Birmingham Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences Grant
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1st Place winner of 2023 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center MD/PhD 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) Research
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Winner of 2023 University of Alabama Birmingham Clinical and Translational Science Training Symposium 3MT Research
Professional Service
LSUHSC School of Medicine Admission Committee
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2026-2027 MD/PhD Representative
American Association for Cancer Research
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2026 AACR Early‑career Hill Day Participant
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Member, 2026-Present
American Association of Immunologists
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2025-2026 Clinical Immunology Committee Trainee Liaison
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Member, 2022-Present
Seminar Talks
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LSUHSC Pulmonology Critical Care Department Grand Rounds, 2024, “Utilizing Translational and Clinical Informatics to Examine COVID-19 Clinical Severity Outcomes”
University of Alabama Birmingham CTSA T32 Selection Committee
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Interviewer for final round “Chalk Talks” in 2025-2026 T32 Cohort Selection Committee
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University of Alabama Birmingham CTSA TL1/T32 Summer Jamboree Committee
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Planning Committee Member, 2024
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Networking and Closing Session Leader
American Physician Scientist Association
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Undergraduate Mentor, 2019-2024
American Physician Scientist Association – LSUHSC New Orleans Local Chapter
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Founding Vice President, 2023-2024
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Planning Committee for 2024 Greater New Orleans American Physician Scientist Association Poster Session
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Organized the inaugural poster session with LSUHSC, Tulane School of Medicine, and several undergraduate intuitions (Xavier, Tulane, and Dillard)
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Secretary, 2024-2025
Peer Advocate Liaison Program (PAL)
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Department of Genetics Graduate Student Representative, 2021-2026
Graduate Studies Social Media Committee
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Department of Genetics Representative, 2022-2023
Students Advocating for Equity in Medicine
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Vice President of Social Climate, 2020-2021
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Member, 2020-Present
Teaching and Mentorship
Teaching Assistant
Fall 2024
LSU Health New Orleans
Mentor
Summer 2024
LSU Health New Orleans
Teaching Assistant
Summer 2024
LSU Health New Orleans
Mentor
Summer 2023
LSU Health New Orleans
Tutor
Aug 2017- Jun 2023
Teaching Assistant
Jun 2017- May 2019
New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School
Course: Techniques and Trends in Biomedical Sciences I - BIOMED130
Department of Graduate Studies
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Synthesized and taught a lecture titled “Introducing Sequencing Methods”
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Generated and graded 3 exam questions and a homework prompt
Medical Student Summer Research Mentor
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Mentored four medical students participating in the Robert A. Winn Diversity In Clinical Trials Award Program (WINN CIPP)
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Assisted each student in developing an All of Us Research Project and IRB Protocol
Course: Clinical Genetics – PYAS 6574
Department of Physician Assistant Studies, LSUHSC New Orleans
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Taught a lecture on Population Genetics
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Selected exam questions
Medical Student Summer Research Mentor
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Mentored one medical student and one undergraduate student to conduct data revalidation, resulting in both students co-authorship of in our Frontiers in Immunology manuscript
Wyzant Private Tutor
AP Biology, ACT Science, Biostatistics, Cell Biology, and Genetics
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Tutored a broad range of students, including: high school and graduate level (Master, Doctoral, and Medical).
Course: AP Biology
New Orleans Science and Math Charter High School
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Mentored students for the regional Science Fair
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assisted with lesson planning, lecturing, grading, and tutoring
Hobbies and Interests
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Needle point (Cross-stitching, embroidery)
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Traveling with my daughter and husband
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Gardening, Cooking, Flower arrangement