RESEARCH INTERESTS
Emily is interested in biomaterials and their applications in immunology and drug delivery. She is excited to learn about the chemical and material properties of polymer nanoparticles, hydrogels, and other biomaterials, and to apply that knowledge to manipulate the presentation and release of small molecules and therapeutics.
EDUCATION
PhD, Bioengineering, Stanford University - Expected 2024
BS, Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology - June 2017
HONORS, AWARDS, and SCHOLARSHIPS
Perpall Speaking Competition Semi-Finalist, California Institute of Technology, 2015
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, California Institute of Technology, 2014 and 2015
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Protein Engineering Group, Antheia Inc., July 2017 – Sept 2019
Emily was a member of a small team researching benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic pathways expressed heterologously in yeast for desired active pharmaceutical ingredients. Led multiple high-throughput engineering campaigns using directed evolution and semi-rational engineering strategies to improve native activity of enzymes from diverse classes in vivo.
Industrial Products Division, Intrexon Corp., June 2016 – Aug 2016
Investigated optimization of media for methanotroph growth using factorial design of shake flask experiments and identified potentially critical compound for scale-up of proprietary natural gas to liquids bioconversion platform.
Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, Caltech, June 2015 – Dec 2015
Research Advisor: Prof. Henry A. Lester
Corroborated results of menthol’s upregulation of low-sensitivity neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in cultured mouse neuroblastoma (N2a) cells using confocal microscopy for FRET analysis.
Astrobiogeochemistry Lab, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, July 2014 – Sept 2014
Research Advisor: Dr. Kenneth Williford
Established protocol for extraction of organics from evaporite mineral gypsum and applied protocol to field collected samples (China Ranch, Death Valley). Determined up to 250x less polar organics preserved in gypsum compared to co-temporal mudstone and clay sediment, contributing to mineral priority in future Mars sample return missions.
ABOUT
Emily grew up in the Biggest Little City in the World: Reno, Nevada. Although the Los Angeles beaches never quite replaced the beauty of Lake Tahoe, Emily pursued her BS in Bioengineering at Caltech in sunny Pasadena, along with a minor in her other passion, history. She then moved to the Bay Area to work at the biotech startup Antheia and to be a bit closer to family. After a few years, she decided it was time to pursue her PhD, and what better place to do so than Stanford! Outside of lab, Emily enjoys cooking, baking, reading, and binge-watching TV shows. She also hopes to take advantage of the nearby ocean to get scuba certified!