BBCB Student
I am a Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology PhD student at the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to my graduate studies, I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Gettysburg College.
Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking/baking, gardening, and caring for my pets (three cats, a dog, and a rabbit!).
My research is centered on understanding the dynamics of the human interleukin-2 (IL-2) cytokine and molecular recognition mechanism for interactions with the two major forms of the IL-2 receptor. These dynamics can be harnessed for the rational design of novel IL-2 mimetics that preferentially interact with the IL-2R found on regulatory T cells, towards new autoimmune therapeutics. My work combines structural techniques such as solution NMR, with an array of biophysical, biochemical, and computational tools to probe these conformational dynamics and interactions.