Cristina is part of the Ragon Institute Catherine Othieno Sempa Memorial Post Baccalaureate Scholars Program and is working as research technician in the Gaiha lab. She attended the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Campus (UPRM), having graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2023 with a biology degree. During her time at UPRM, Cristina conducted research in Dr. Montalvo’s Extremophiles laboratory and in Dr. Roman’s laboratory working on a NASA initiative titled "Center for Sustainable Technologies for Water Reclamation and Reuse (CSTWR2)." In the Gaiha lab, she is studying CD8+ T cell dysfunction. In her free time, Cristina likes to cook, bake, explore the outdoors, go to the gym, and spend time with her family and travel.