Meet the Team

In college, I said I would never work in a lab, and that I hated microscopes. Look at me now!

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All I know is: it’s fun to get to know people, learning is a forever process, and it’s never too late to surprise yourself. I am excited to continue all of that here at CU.

I am a first-generation nerd with a passion for unraveling cancer’s complexity. My interest in studying cancer sprouted from personal experience in caring for my close relatives afflicted with cancer and transformed into a passion to expand our knowledge of devastating diseases.

Proud Chicana 

A celebrity amongst pediatric oncology fellows in Colorado, Kaylyn has a keen interest in improving cell therapy for children with refractory cancers.  She wants the children she cares for to spend less time in the hospital and more time playing X-box and flossing or whatever the kids are doing now. 

Growing up, I was always asking “why?” and “how?”. As an adult, I guess that’s one thing that I never grew out of. This trait sparked my passion for science, particularly biology, at a very young age. I am thrilled to get to learn and grow (and annoy my colleagues with my never-ending questions) every day at work. California transplant, living in Colorado with my fiancé and our cat, Princess Leia.

Growing up I didn’t know much about life, but I was always interested in how bugs and people stayed alive (I was the kid that played with bugs). I now have a greater understanding and appreciation for biology, allowing me to study novel ways we can keep life going for many. I’m excited to be in Matt's lab this summer and see what there is to learn from the whole team. Also, my dog’s name is Empanada.

​I’ve always been curious about the things around me. It wasn’t until I realized my grandmother was struggling with Parkinson’s disease that I focused that curiosity on science, wanting to understand what was wrong with her. That motivation brought me to this point. I will be analyzing cutting-edge experiments in this lab using computational approaches. I am thrilled to be involved in this work and to learn from all the members. I am passionate about Transcriptomics and the Philosophy of Biology. One of my dogs is called Chinicuil (agave worm), which is very Mexican like myself.