Heart development requires a synchronized effort between physical conditions and genetic factors. When physiological influences, such as blood pressure or frictional forces,  are altered the heart can develop improperly and congenital heart defects may arise. Unfortunately, due to the small size of the developing heart and its constant motion, it's difficult unreliable virtually impossible  to measure these physical influences in an embryonic heart even under healthy developmental conditions. 

My work comes in as a mathematical modeler,  where I model blood flow throughout embryonic hearts in both healthy hearts and unhealthy conditions to understand how normal physical influences vary from atypical conditions that lead to congenital heart diseases. 

As an Integrative Vascular Biology Trainee and American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow, you can find me at the lab bench, bent over a computer, or at the chalkboard. 

Previously I've conducted research ranging from marine biology to developing liver organoids. I'm fascinated by learning and writing about all things biology and how math can be used to better understand patterns in the natural world. 

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