Address:  246 Biology Building
Phone:  319-335-7763
Mentor: Tina Tootle, PhD

Research Interest: The role of lipid droplets in collective cell migration
Place of origin: South Dakota, United States
Bio: I am a PhD candidate in Cell and Developmental Biology. What drew me to the University
of Iowa was its reputation for excellence in biomedical research, the broad range of topics being
explored, and, of course, the people. The community here is welcoming and collaborative, and
there are many great opportunities for both scientific training and professional development. My
research interest is to understand the mechanisms controlling collective cell migration,
especially the role of lipids droplets (small storage organelles important for lipid and energy
homeostasis). Determining how cells migrate as collectives is important for understanding both
human embryonic development and cancer metastasis. Outside of science, I enjoy music
(especially playing the drums), reading and writing fiction, and many forms of exercise (weight
training, biking, and yoga).