Gardenia is a postdoctoral research associate in Vivian Gonzalez-Perez’s Lab. She is a microbiologist and molecular biologist interested in understanding the molecular interactions between microorganisms and hosts. She holds a degree in Microbiology from the University of Havana, Cuba. She then received her Ph.D. from Austral University in Chile. While there, she described the signaling pathways associated with immunosuppression induced by viral pathogens in salmonid fish. Currently, she is expanding her scientific horizons in her postdoctoral training in the Anesthesiology Department at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Payne is now focusing on how the regulation of ion channel activity and expression impacts cellular, physiological, and pathogenic processes, particularly in the contexts of intestinal inflammation and normal colon physiology. Outside of work, she is passionate about nature and activities outdoors such as bicycling, hiking, and going to the sea. Also, she enjoys taking and editing photography and dancing.