How did you decide on a career in neuroscience and why did you choose your area of study?

I have always been fascinated about the brain and how this intricate three-dimensional, multi-cellular complex machine works. I then organically become more and more interested in not only understanding the brain in healthy conditions but during disease. Because what else is out there more exciting than fixing a broken machine/puzzle? 
 

You are fairly new to Stanford Neurosurgery. Can you update us on your research since joining Stanford? 

The past months have been fantastic at Stanford. My colleagues in the department and the students on campus are all phenomenal. There is so much exciting science going on everywhere that it is invigorating. Since joining the department my research has grown exponentially because of outstanding collaborations. We have renewed and extended a previous collaboration with a biotech partner to test small molecules to treat vascular dementia and we have developed 2 new research programs in collaboration with Drs. Odette Harris, Anand Veeravagu and Jian Luo to develop new stem cell-based therapies to treat spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. I could have not asked for a better start here. 

Name one fun fact about you.

I am fluent in 4 different languages, but I can only do Math and count in one of them. Which means that when I am pipetting a qPCR plate, I can only count the wells out loud in Spanish. Every single one of my teammates now knows how to count to 400 in Spanish. 

How did you decide on a career in neuroscience/neurosurgery and why did you choose your area of study?

I have always been fascinated by how the brain works and how its complexity shapes our behavior and cognition. My neuroscience journey started early in my PhD training when I met a new faculty member presenting her research in developmental neuroscience at a departmental seminar. The beautiful timelapse recordings of neuronal growth cones making connections she showed in her talk inspired me. At that moment, I knew I wanted to do this. I immediately went up to her and asked, “Can I rotate in your lab” and luckily, she said, “yes.” The time I spent rotating in her lab only confirmed that neuroscience is my true calling, and since then, I have not looked back.
 

Can you tell us a little more about your research interests?

The highly collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of Stanford's research caught my eye. The innovative and ground-breaking science being done here at Stanford is most often driven by collaborations between the groups with diverse research expertise/field. As a trainee, that is a very valuable experience to learn to drive collaborations and develop a diverse skill set. Also, the synergy between clinicians and basic research scientists here at Stanford provides an excellent opportunity to translate scientific discoveries to real-world impact, which motivated me to choose my current lab for postdoctoral training.
 

Can you tell us a little more about your research?

My Current research involves understanding the role of tumor-immune microenvironment in GBM infiltration. The aggressive infiltration of GBM in the brain is a classic hallmark of this disease and leads to inevitable recurrence in patients. My goal is to identify and target the tumor-associated immune markers that facilitate the GBM infiltration in the brain. I have developed a 3D co-culture model with immune cell components. I am utilizing this model system to some of these questions using advanced genomic techniques such as snRNA seq, spatial genomics etc. I am so grateful for the work that I get to do every day. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that my work can one day improve the lives of patients and their families.
 

What kind of activities or hobbies do you pursue outside of work?

Outside my research, my toddler keeps me busy for the most part these days...lol !! I am an avid painter. I love painting. I also love spending time outside in nature, hiking, or traveling. Other than that, I love reading and learning new dance forms.