About me
I am a PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. I work on rare diseases at the Gonzalez Lab at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. I use a combination of computation and functional studies to elucidate the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders.
Key interests
- Integrating multi-omic tools and computational analysis to uncover underlying biological mechanisms and pathways in diseases
- Troubleshooting and optimizing pre-existing functional study protocols
- Understanding the genetic impact of social issues (like discrimination) that can transcend generations
About my science
The bulk of my PhD thesis work focuses on TANGO2 Deficiency Disorder (TDD), an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder. TDD is caused by mutations in the TANGO2 gene leading to a multisystem dysfunction, impacting individuals differently in manifestation and severity. There is currently no known function or localization of the TANGO2 protein. My goal is to understand the dynamic impact of the loss of TANGO2 across the dysfunctional biochemical pathways
Understanding TDD better
Here I try to break down some of the key things we have and are continuously learning about TDD.
Tips and tricks to a happy PhD
While not an expert, here are some tools that have helped me navigate this frustrating yet incredibly satisfying research journey.