Denise earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of New Hampshire. Her capstone project investigated mitochondrial DNA as a marker for fecal contamination in stream samples. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree in Microbiology at the University of Maine where she studied neutrophil migration and function during Influenza A virus infections in the zebrafish model. She earned her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she studied RNA modifications and type I interferon signaling in context of HIV-I infection. During her PhD, Denise advocated for diverse mental health resource availability for all trainees, something that she remains passionate about. Denise is currently a postdoc at ISMMS studying neuroinflammation and type I interferon signaling in the brain. Outside of the laboratory, Denise likes musical theater, hiking and nature, and painting in watercolors.