I am a fifth-year graduate student at UVa, in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. I grew up in southern California on an Aloe vera farm and surrounded by fruit trees (organic!) of every variety, which is probably why I like the outdoors so much. I also like to travel, and this has been a large part of my life ever since I was six months old and being carted around the Hindu Kush. After completing my undergraduate work in Davis, CA, I moved cross-country to attend UVa, and have been acquainting myself with the charms of the East Coast, through favorite activities like hiking the beautiful Virginia trails and sight-seeing.
PhD Candidate, Biomedical Engineering, present
Bachelor of Science, Biological Systems Engineering (Biomedical engineering emphasis), High Honors, December 2003
Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their membrane-bound ephrin ligands mediate a wide variety of developmental processes. In the embryo, the role of EphB4 and its ligand ephrinB2 in angiogenesis and vascular development has been extensively investigated. Previous work has shown that signaling between EphB4 and ephrinB2 is essential for normal embryonic vascular development. Although Ephs and ephrins are known to play critical roles in embryonic sprouting angiogenesis and vessel remodeling, their role and regulation in adult vascular remodeling remain unclear. To this end, my current research is focused on providing an investigation of EphB4/ephrinB2 expression patterns in remodeling and quiescent adult microvascular networks. I am also interested in investigating the mechanisms of EphB4/ephrinB2 regulation in the adult microvasculature, with the ultimate goal of furthering the understanding of how EphB4/ephrinB2 mediate aspects of adult microvascular remodeling, including capillary sprouting.
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