About me
Social Media and Email
I am a post-baccalaureate researcher in the NSF-funded LAGNiAppE program at Louisiana State University. I am interested in evaluating the cellular and spatial expression of a select group of the duplicated myoglobin genes during fin regeneration, and to better understand their function role. I am an incoming Biology PhD student at Wake Forest University and will be studying axolotl salamander limb regeneration!
In my spare time, I enjoy digital art, gaming, and reading horror or sci-fi novels.
LAGNiAppE research project (Post-baccalaureate)
I investigated the physiological function of duplicated myoglobin (mb) genes during fin regeneration. African lungfish and bichirs uniquely express mb in the wound epidermis in addition to the muscle, and my work explored how oxygen transport and storage may contribute to regenerative mechanisms. I have a broader goal of understanding how species like axolotls, which lack mb-encoding genes, might compensate through alternative pathways.
Undergraduate Research
Prior to this fellowship, I worked at the Aquatic Germplasm and Genetic Resources Center (AGGRC), where I contributed to improving germplasm cryopreservation techniques for axolotls by designing and testing 3D-printed sperm freezing devices. AGGRC closely collaborates with the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (AGSC), and I had the opportunity to engage with protocols and standards that support this shared resource. This experience strengthened my technical foundation in developmental and reproductive biology but also deepened my interest in regeneration research, particularly in axolotls, as a model for understanding tissue regeneration.
Image credit: Dr. Emily Kane (co-mentor: University of Louisiana Lafayette)