Kenetta L. Nunn, PhD

I am a scientist, specifically a bioinformaticist, with broad interests in matters impacting human health. A bio-info-what, you ask? Basically, I am someone who uses various programming, software, and statistical tools to understand complex biological problems. Currently, I am an Associate Manager of Bioinformatics at Q Squared Solutions, a genomics company that drives innovative solutions to support clinical research and favorable patient outcomes.

 

Before leaping into the world of human genomes, I spent most of my time working with microbial species in different aspects of human vaginal health. For my M.S. research with Dr. Sam Lai, I investigated the inherent properties of vaginal mucus and its ability to provide a protective barrier against viruses that cause sexually transmitted infections. Some of my findings suggested differences in bacteria inhabiting the vagina could play a role.

 

Naturally, I wanted to know more about the composition of the vaginal microbiome and why these differences exist. Thus, for my Ph.D. research, I worked under the mentorship of Dr. Larry Forney, focusing on the temporal dynamics of the human vaginal microbiome, the factors that drive changes in community composition, and how this is impacts women's health.

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From there, I completed a Postdoctoral research fellowship in the Woods lab at the University of Michigan where we studied the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the transmission of resistant microbes among and between humans in the hospital environment. This was quite a shift from studying bacterial communities in the vagina; however, the overarching research theme was similar. How do changes in gut communities, or the persistence of one nasty bug, impact human health?