Annabel Olson Barraza, PhD, is a new faculty member.
Hometown: Lindstrom, Minnesota
Title and department at UNMC: Assistant professor, UNMC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Research/professional interests:
- Herpesvirus replication
- Tumor virus mechanisms of disease
- Kinase signaling pathways
- Targeted protein degradation
- Biomarker and therapeutic target discovery
- 3D disease models
How I fell in love with virology: One summer, I participated in an undergraduate research program at UNL studying algal viruses. Part of my project was to collect water samples from rivers and streams across Nebraska and test them for algal viruses. I was amazed how adding these normal water samples to lawns of green algae could cause plaques or circular clearings to form. This is when I knew I wanted to learn more about viruses.
Education:
- BA, biology (chemistry minor), Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota (2014)
- PhD, genetics, cell and molecular biology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2019)
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington (2026)
Three things people may not know about me:
- I played basketball growing up and I can still make 3-point shots.
- I make an amazing pistachio cheesecake which was inspired by a trip to northern Italy where they have the best pistachio cream filled croissants.
- I enjoy canoeing or kayaking and other outdoor activities.