I love biofilms! As a scientist, I am interested in emergence: how individual components of a biological system, each following simple rules, can together give rise to unexpected complex phenomena. Biofilms are a beautiful example: how do single bacterial cells, the simplest cells on earth, work together to build elaborate, structured communities?
I have a BA in Biophysics from Columbia University, where I first started working with biofilms. After a year spent purifying proteins as a lab tech, I got my PhD in Biochemistry at Harvard University, using single-molecule approaches to study cytoskeletal dynamics in the bacterial cell division complex. I then did a postdoc with Dr. Dianne Newman at Caltech, using high-resolution live imaging and mathematical modeling to study how and why cell lysis is patterned during biofilm development. At EMBL, I’m excited to apply all of these tools to understand what happens when bacterial cells come together, and why.
In the lab, I enjoy afternoon microscopy sessions (especially with good music playing), designing fun data visualizations and wacky cloning strategies, and teaching, learning, and philosophizing of all kinds. Outside of the lab, I like singing, hiking, biking, and spending time with my cats.