PhD Candidate
University of Michigan and Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
I am a PhD candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan. My research integrates microbiology, endocrinology, and ecology to study reproductive dysfunction in endangered felids. Through a collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, I examine how gut and reproductive microbiomes influence fertility in cheetahs and clouded leopards. Due to the challenges of studying endangered species, I also use domestic cats as a model system for controlled studies on microbiome–reproduction links. This dual approach advances our understanding of microbial influences on reproduction and supports both basic science and applied conservation efforts.