Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Year I became a Gator: 2021
Department: Physical Therapy
Mentor: David Fuller, PhD
Research focus: My research focus is on the functional effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy following spinal cord injury in a rat model. Specifically, I plan to explore the dose of HBO needed to induce functional benefits after spinal cord injury and to identify potential muscle neural mechanism(s) that drive these HBO-related improvements.
What drives me: My main motivator as a scientist is sharing my findings with the scientific community and beyond. I love receiving feedback and discussing the greater impact(s) of my work with other scientists/clinicians. In addition, I believe that science should be accessible to all and I hope to share my work to those outside of the scientific community.
What I like most about the BREATHE Training Program: I love the diversity of research disciplines contained within the BREATHE Training Program. As a new postdoc, I wanted to join a program with a wide array of research topics so I can connect with investigators outside of my research field and gain new insight(s) into my work.
What I like about Gainesville: The public parks in Gainesville are top notch. As a dog mom, I like to take my pup to the park in the mornings before I head into lab. I have enjoyed finding new parks around town and have been impressed by the cleanliness and unique design of each park. My dog, Duke, approves too!
Why I chose BREATHE at the University of Florida: During my PhD, I focused on the clinical side of respiratory neurophysiology research and worked with human subjects. I chose BREATHE at UF to receive top-notch preclinical, basic science training. As I want to incorporate translational research into my future laboratory, BREATHE is the perfect program for me to gain preclinical research experience and to remain close to my clinical research roots.
What makes the BREATHE Training Program unique? The BREATHE Training Program is unique because of the program-wide focus on translational research. BREATHE embodies team science, making it a fantastic environment for trainees to develop their scientific skills further and prepare for the next step in their career.
What I do for fun: Cycling is one of my favorite outdoor activities – I ride outside to exercise, to reduce stress and to commute to work. When I am not riding my bike I am outside and exploring with my dog or I am inside playing video games.