Valeria is a 2nd year PhD student in the Cell and Molecular Biology graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania. She was born and raised in Peru. After moving to the US, she graduated from Hunter College-CUNY with a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences. As an undergraduate, she had her first research experience in the Kawamura lab studying natural products produced by mixed microbial cultures. At Penn, she is investigating Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae surface adhesins as potential vaccine antigens. Having received invaluable guidance from her mentors, Valeria is excited to become a mentor to support students as they navigate the process of applying to graduate school and beyond.