Alaina has had a love for science since middle school, when she would accompany her mom to work and observe research first-hand. Currently, Alaina is a Pharmacology PhD student in the Biomedical Graduate Studies program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she has received a T32 training grant for her studies. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a BS in Pharmacology & Toxicology, while minoring in Neuroscience. Alaina was awarded the Outstanding Senior award in the Pharmacology & Toxicology department upon graduation. During her undergraduate studies, Alaina was very interested in behavioral pharmacology studies, specifically looking into novel drug targets to treat anxiety disorders. Currently, she is focused on studying cell death pathways and their interplay with retinal degeneration (a big step from her undergraduate studies, but graduate school has uncovered some new interests!). Outside of the lab, Alaina enjoys hot yoga, hiking, finding the newest spots to eat, and playing with her puppy!