Kirsta grew up in “Rocket City” Huntsville, AL, where her curiosity about the world around her sparked at a young age. She received a B.S. in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences from Auburn University in May 2021, during which she used computational methods to study active site conformations of Methyl-Coenzyme M Reductase. Upon graduation she worked at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Physiology in the lab of Dr. Dawn Boothe doing High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method development for drug assays. There she developed an affinity for method development and an interest in metabolism, inspiring her to apply for chemistry graduate programs. Now a PhD student at Virginia Tech, Kirsta is studying neurotransmitter metabolites and host-microbe interactions within the gut-brain axis. Outside of lab she enjoys writing music on her ukulele, painting, and criticizing restaurant mac and cheese.