Laura Hesse is from southern Indiana and graduated from Michigan State University in 2017 with her B.S. in Microbiology. She joined the Skaar Lab the following year, where she studies nutrient metal homeostasis in Acinetobacter baumannii.
Learn a bit about her research from Laura herself!
" Zinc homeostasis mechanisms during Acinetobacter baumannii infection."
When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A paleontologist. I loved dinosaurs thanks to The Land Before Time movies!
What was it about science that drew you to it?
I enjoy learning about molecular level processes that explain things I observe in everyday life. For example, learning about how bacterial toxins damage host cells in distinct ways to generate the symptoms specific to that particular kind of infection is just really cool.
If you could study anything, what would it be?
I still really like dinosaurs like I did as a kid, but also enjoy studying microbiology - so maybe I would combine the two and study dinosaur pathogens (access to samples due to time eras not being an issue, of course).
What's next for you?
In the hopefully not-too-distant future, I would like to be a college professor who helps undergraduate students learn about the exciting world of microbiology through both teaching and research experiences.
Best way to pass the time while waiting on an experiment to finish:
Chatting with friends!
What's the most fun "socially distanced" activity you've done recently?
Floating in an inner tube down the Red River (which conveniently runs just behind my parents' house).
Keep up with Laura: 
