Juaneisha Finnie is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Columbus Lab at the University of Virginia. Her doctoral research investigates the role of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in bacterial pathogenicity. Specifically, she examines how OMPs from diverse Gram-negative bacteria can be targeted to the outer membrane of E. coli using N-terminal E. coli signal peptides to maintain their native structure and function. Her work aims to advance our understanding of host–pathogen interactions and may reveal novel strategies to combat bacterial infections by exploiting OMP vulnerabilities.

Before pursuing her Ph.D., Juaneisha gained over a decade of combined industry experience as a certified pharmacy technician, dental assistant, optician, and account manager. These diverse roles provided her with a strong foundation in applied science, precision, and patient care, which continue to inform her research perspective today.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry with minors in Legal Studies and Psychology and aspires to build a career as either a forensic scientist or a biotechnology scientist, applying her expertise in molecular biology to address real-world challenges.