About Me

(That’s me on the right)

Hi there, I’m Katia! I’m a graduate student in Harvard’s Molecules, Cells, and Organisms Ph.D. program and a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. In 2023, I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where I completed my B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology and was an undergraduate researcher in the Sudmant Lab.

I was born and raised in the Bay Area and my lifelong passion for wildlife inspired me to pursue biological research opportunities as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. After discovering my passion for research, I’ve explored research questions across diverse fields including protein engineering, viral ecology, and epidemiology of infectious diseases. For the past two years, my research has focused on the unique biology of wild bats but I’m excited to see what new research directions I take in my graduate studies. I love working with animals, teaching about the One Health model, and generally highlighting the intersections of animal, human, and environmental health. When I’m not in lab or out in the field, you can find me testing out new recipes or playing DnD.

I love connecting with new people so whether you’re a researcher in academia or industry, a student, or just want to chat, reach out to me anytime.