I received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology with a focus on Molecular Evolution from the University of Wyoming in 2014, focusing on gene duplication and protein family evolution. This work combined theoretical and population genetic work with more traditional phylogenetic approaches to better understand how gene duplication contributes to the functional evolution of the genome and differing protein homolog complements between taxa. Upon completion of my Ph.D., I joined the research group of Vaishali Katju (Texas A&M University) as a bioinformatic postdoc, studying the accumulation and transcriptional consequences of large and small mutations within the Caenorhabditis elegans nuclear and mitochondrial genomes over 400 generations of laboratory evolution. More recently, I spent the past year working in the group of Isabel Gordo (Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência), performing the computational work required for the analysis of the evolutionary dynamics of Escherichia coli populations adapting to the intestinal environment of mice. More recently I moved to the research group of Dr. Ivo Chelo (Eco-Evolutionary Genetics), where I will be studying the effects of microbiome community assembly on deleterious genotypes of the host. I received the Stimulus of Scientific Employment Fellowship at the Junior Researcher Level for this, which will allow me to develop an independent research trajectory for future career development while working in Dr. Chelo's group.