Originally from Mexico City, I grew up in the Seattle area and completed my undergraduate degrees at the University of Washington. Through a Howard Hughes Medical Institute summer research internship at Harvard Medical School, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in microbiology. In that short summer in Dr. Matthew K. Waldor's lab mentored by Dr. Simon Ringaard, I spent hours at the microscope trying to understand how a bacterium (Vibrio parahaemolyticus) ensures that its offspring (daughter cells) each receive the ability to sense the chemicals around them (chemotaxis protein clusters).

With a newfound love for microbes, I went on to complete my PhD as an HHMI Gilliam Fellow in Dr. Karine Gibbs' lab at Harvard University, studying how a specific bacterium (Proteus mirabilis) is able to distinguish its genetic relatedness  to its direct neighbor, being able to discriminate between a cell that is its "cousin" from one that is its "sibling" and relay that information to regulate cooperative versus antagonistic behaviors.

I am fascinated by how organisms who cannot rely on senses or memory are able to differentiate self vs non-self at the molecular and cellular level and relay that information to different outputs. With that passion, I became a Washington Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Christopher Johnston's lab, studying innate genetic defenses that bacteria utilize to recognize self vs non-self DNA. Bacteria use these systems to protect themselves from foreign nucleic acids, including human-made DNA (like plasmids). By applying synthetic microbiology techniques, we create tailor-made genetic toolkits to bypass these defenses. I aim to make such toolkits for a colorectal tumor-associated bacterium (Fusobacterium nucleatum) to study and understand its role in disease. As of November 2022, I have transitioned into a Staff Scientist role in the lab.

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In addition to my research, I have served as a board member, community engagement committee chair, and education and outreach committee member for SoundBio Lab (DIY/Makerspace devoted to equitable access to the life sciences) and as a board member and community co-chair for Hutch United (internal Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center employee organization devoted to the support of marginalized and historically underrepresented scientists).

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When I have free time, I am often enjoying time with my dogs, cheering on the Seattle sports teams (Sounders/Huskies/Seahawks/Kraken/Mariners), or reading a good book.