Debra N Brunson,

Debra received her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Idaho State University where she developed her interest in host pathogen interactions. She also received an master’s in biology from the University of North Florida, where she studied the impacts of outer membrane porin loss on the physiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In 2023, Debra graduated from the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. program at UF. Her project focused on the characterization of iron transporters and interpreting the importance of iron homeostasis to virulence of Enterococcus faecalis. After graduation, Debra chose to remain in the Lemos-Abranches lab to further her research into mechanisms of heme utilization by E. faecalis as a postdoctoral associate.