About Me |
I am a neuropsychopharmacologist studying how changes in our brain lead to neurodevelopmental disorders or psychiatric illnesses. I earned my PhD from Duke University School of Medicine's department of Neurobiology. My graduate research in the labs of Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD and Marc Caron, PhD combined cellular biology, neuroengineering, pharmacology, and behavioral neuroscience to investigate dopamine's role in schizophrenia pathophysiology. My research focuses on screening for better drug therapeutics to treat and help people living with mental illnesses.
. Creativity makes you a scientist, but access to resources and mentorship determines success in academia. I mentor students of all ages ,from elementary school to late college, to help them reach their scientific goals. As an Afrolatinx scientist, I am committed to amplifying the voices of other marginalized or underserved people. Empowering marginalized scientists and engaging with members of our community can start filling in research gaps. For example, African American, Latin, and Indigenous people represent less than 4% of DNA information used to study diseases in genome wide association studies. Lack of inclusion in genomic studies translates to identified risk factors or therapies not working as effectively in these excluded communities. I aim to improve science communication, talking about science is a way that makes sense to all audiences. There is power in language. Learning how to describe our mind, body, and health allows us to advocate for more inclusive science policies and ethical usage of medicine, technology, and science. |