Elizabeth Greif

I graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2018 with a B.S. in Animal Biology and a minor in professional writing. As an undergraduate student, I was introduced to canine genetics where I worked under Dr. Anita Oberbauer to understand the involvement of the major histocompatibility complex class II genes in a canine autoimmune disease. Following UC Davis, I earned my M.S. from Johns Hopkins University in Biotechnology, where I worked under Dr. Amanda Brown to study how Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I affects the brain. My research focused on the role of multi-functional protein, osteopontin, in HIV-induced neurological dysfunction. I started my Ph.D. in genetics under Dr. Leigh Anne Clark in 2020. My research now involves using purebred dog models to study the genetic basis of various diseases that occur naturally in both dogs and humans. My main project focuses on Addison’s disease in two breeds that are commonly affected: Standard Poodles and Portuguese Water Dogs. From a thorough genetic investigation, I hope to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of Addison’s disease, which can help direct future efforts to prevent and combat this lifelong illness.