I am broadly interested in understanding female-specific risk for neuropsychiatric disorders across the lifespan. Women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with major depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, yet the majority of preclinical studies investigating these conditions have only used male subjects, and effective treatment options remain limited. Importantly, the periods of greatest risk- puberty, pregnancy and postpartum, and the menopausal transition- are also periods of dynamic hormonal fluctuation. Consideration of these uniquely sensitive periods alongside life experiences, such as stress and trauma, is essential for developing novel treatments and improving women’s mental health outcomes.

 

I completed my PhD in 2024 with Dr. Tracy Bale at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. My graduate work developed a novel chemogenetic stress model and found that chronic activation of the stress circuitry imparted both sex- and brain region-specific effects, which may underlie the well-established sex-differences in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorder risk. As a postdoc in the Galea Lab, I am interested in understanding how postpartum depression (PPD) imparts lasting changes to the maternal brain that mediate risk for future stress susceptibility and affective disorder development, as well as how PPD affects offspring neurodevelopment. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling, attempting to master gluten-free baking, exploring Toronto and learning about Canada, and playing with my 2 very spoiled cats.