I attended the College of Charleston in South Carolina, majoring in biochemistry with a minor in psychology. During my time at the College of Charleston, I took a class on the psychology of substance abuse, which initiated a keen interest in chemical neuroscience. After discovering a love for organic synthesis, I decided to combine that interest with the desire to contribute to society by getting a PhD in medicinal chemistry from the University of Minnesota, where my research on male contraception provided me with experience in organic synthesis as well as pharmacology.

My current projects include:

• Studying potential biomarkers of opioid use and their role in vaccine efficacy
• Designing bivalent ligands targeting the heterodimer formed between the dopamine receptors (D1 or D2) and growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) for stimulant use disorder

In my free time, I enjoy playing bar trivia and showing strangers pictures of my dog, Poppy.  I also watch way too many baking shows and then attempt to recreate the recipes with varying degrees of success.