Bachelor of Science in Biology von der Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1983; Master of Science in Genetics von der University of Missouri, Columbia, 1988; Doktortitel in Microbiology von der Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 1994; Semifinalistin bei der Astronautenauswahl der NASA-Gruppe 19; derzeit Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane University Health Sciences Center.