Biography and Research statement: I earned my PhD in Cancer Biology from University of Michigan in 2024. My dissertation research in Dr. Ryoma Ohi’s lab focused on exploring force-balance in the mitotic spindle; specifically the mechanisms of Eg5-independent spindle assembly and the role of anti-parallel microtubule bundling in supporting kinesin-12-driven spindle assembly. My graduate work was conducted using cultured human cell lines, so in exploring my postdoc options I decided I wanted to return to a model organism system, having worked with zebrafish briefly as a technician before graduate school. In the Drerup lab, I am excited to delve into the regulation of microtubule-based transport, microtubule organization, and microtubule dynamics in axons.