Biological Anthropologist | Research Assistant at the University of Michigan

Currently member of the Lasisi Lab: Evolution, Genetics & Phenotypic Variation

My work focuses on water insecurity, chronic stress, and health, using a biocultural approach that combines ethnographic observation with biomarker and quantitative analysis. I am particularly interested in how structural inequalities in water access shape coping strategies, physiological stress responses, and chronic disease risk in urban and marginalized populations in Latin America.

1) Water Insecurity and Stress in Iztapalapa, Mexico City

I lead a project examining household water access, water management practices, and emotional stress, emphasizing lived experiences and public health implications of intermittent water access. Progress on this topic can be found here

2) Chronic stress Biomarkers (Hair Cortisol)

I conduct laboratory-based research quantifying hair cortisol concentrations as a biomarker of chronic stress. In particular, I focus on methods development and reproducibility in ELISA-based data generation. My work on this topic can be found here

3) Epigenetics markers of stress: DNA methylation on stress-related genes

I am generating epigenetic data to assess questions about how environmental stressors become biologically embodied. I am currently working on DNA extraction, quality assessments, bisulfite conversion and pyrosequencing preparation of samples.

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