Education:
Name of school attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Undergraduate degree: B.S. Education
Name of school attended: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Undergraduate degree: B.S. Biology

Undergraduate Honors:

• UWM Department of Biological Sciences Ruth A. Walker Scholarship Award
  
• DOE Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internship
  
• Dean's List: Every enrolled semester
  
• 1998 Study Abroad, UWSP Semester in Germany
• Member, American Society for Microbiology

Current Research Description: Current Research Description: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a pre-invasive malignancy of the breast for which diagnosis has been increasing steadily since the advent of screening mammography. It is currently not possible to predict which cases of DCIS will advance clinically, but identifying factors contributing to the etiology and progression of DCIS would significantly lower both overtreatment of DCIS and incidence of invasive breast cancer. Our laboratory has generated two unprecedented DCIS cell lines (JL DCIS-3A and JL DCIS-3B) from the ipsilateral breast of a patient with non-invasive DCIS, as well as a third cell line from a sample of the patient's contralateral non-diseased breast (JL DCIS-3Contra). In addition, we have generated a cell line from a patient with microinvasive DCIS (JL-DCIS-4), as well as cell lines from this patient's non-tumor adjacent tissue (JL-DCIS-4NTAL) and contralateral tissue (JL-DCIS-4Contra). Using these progressive, isogenic cell lines, we hope to identify biomarkers of DCIS oncogenesis and invasiveness.

Publications:

Poster: Effects of the Cannabinoid Antagonist SR141716 on Ethanol Preference and Food Intake in Obese and Lean Zucker Rats. Presented at SULI Research Symposium, August 2004, Brookhaven National Laboratory

Poster: Diversity of Near-Shore Bioluminescent Bacteria from Boca Ciega Bay, FL. Presented at American Society for Microbiology 104th General Meeting, May 2004

Poster: Characterization of unique human ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cell lines for identification of biomarkers of early breast oncogenesis and progression. Presented at Biomedical Graduate Student Association Symposium, October 2006.

Poster: Characterization of unique human ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) cell lines for identification of biomarkers of early breast oncogenesis and progression. Presented at MIRM Retreat, March 2007.

Graduate Awards:

• CATER Fellow
  
• AAAS Program for Excellence in Science
  
• AAAS Member