Additional Information
I have been on faculty in Case Biology since 2005. I did my undergraduate work at Muhlenberg College where I studied Biology and Environmental Studies with a minor in Women’s studies. I did my honors research with Rodale Farms on nutritional quality of organically grown vegetables. I have worked in skin and pattern formation my whole career. I did my Ph.D. in Molecular Developmental Biology program at University of Cincinnati with Dr. Nancy Ratner in skin wound healing on the neurofibromatosis mouse model. I went to study chick feather pattern formation with Dr. Lee Niswander at Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute. I came back to mouse genetics under Dr. Ron Conlon’s guidance at CWRU to investigate the origin of dermal fibroblasts in skin and what gives them the ability to initiate hair follicles. Many of our skin mutants have fascinating craniofacial defects. From the beginning, my lab has been focused on two main areas of skin and skull development and disease.
I came to Case to work with other developmental biologists, geneticists, and engineers. I have stayed at Case because of access to amazing undergraduate students and generous faculty who have helped us as my interests have evolved.
Outside of the lab, I love to cook, garden, read the NYT, play the NYT spelling bee daily, listen to podcasts while doing mouse work, watch foreign films, and go tandem bicycling with my spouse and family.