Justin is a first-year PhD student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Cellular and Molecular Biology. His research interests include developmental biology, stem cell biology, and reproductive biology, especially how different cell types are specified in developing organisms and how they give rise to the complexity observed in adult forms.

Justin previously completed a postbaccalaureate fellowship at the NICHD studying the development of vasculature specialized for gas exchange in zebrafish gills. Before then, he earned a B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from North Carolina State University. While there, he contributed to research projects developing an in vitro protocol for the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into dopaminergic neurons, studying the roles of multiple genetic oscillators in yeast, developing an assay to test drug candidates for a specific anti-cancer property, and determining the potential of phytocannabinoids to serve as future pharmaceuticals for multiple conditions.