B.S. Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh

Lisa has explored various areas of research to narrow down their interests before applying to graduate programs. Their research journey began in Dr. Sarah Hainer's lab the second semester of their sophomore year. There they used molecular engineering and tissue culture to study the roles of enhance and promoter non-coding RNAs in the transcriptional regulation of mRNAs, and how this ultimately maintains stem cell pluripotency. The summer before their senior year they worked in Dr. Benjamin Van Mooy's lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as a Summer Student Fellow. Their project involved fieldwork and analytical chemistry techniques to detect phosphine in anoxic, brackish water—a novel discovery with implications for using phosphine as a biomarker for life on other planets. Since joining the Marine Microbiomics Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi, they have struck a balance between biology and chemistry research, studying the interactions between diatoms and bacteria. They plan on going to graduate school to eventually pursue a career in academia. When they are not in the lab, they enjoy attending and photographing rock concerts, cuddling with their cat, and playing the drums.