Phoebe Richardson

Department: Molecular Biology
Faculty Adviser: Lindy McBride
Year of Study: G1
Undergraduate School: Stanford University
Undergraduate Major: Earth Systems (Environmental Science)

Personal Bio

Hello! I grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, and moved to California for college. Inspired by the beautiful landscape on the west coast, I majored in environmental science/ecology, conducting field research in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I moved into full-time research after college and fell in love with genetics, and I am now a graduate student in molecular biology, using genetic techniques to study development and adaptation. In the future, I am excited to find ways to unite my molecular interests with my background in conservation. I love the friendly, close-knit research environment here at Princeton and it's so much fun to explore the huge breadth of important projects taking place across departments!

Fun Fact

I love finding ways to be active and outside! Here at Princeton, that includes running and cycling; when I have the chance to travel, I love backpacking, trail running, and snow sports. This past summer, I had the chance to backpack across parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana!

Research Pitch

I am in the Molecular Biology department, and my research is also closely tied to the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department. My research project here at Princeton is still developing, but broadly speaking, I use genetic and genomic techniques to study adaptation. In the past, I have studied behavior and development in deer mice. I combine behavioral tests (for example, testing the quality of parental care that mice are providing for their pups) with gene editing (getting rid of specific hormones that might affect parenting) to determine the most important factors that contribute to differences between species (why some types of mice are much better parents than other mice). With my research, I hope to contribute to our broader understanding of the forces that contribute to evolution.

Upcoming Programs That I Am Attending:

Plans for Summer 2025

Not available to participate in Summer ReMatch+ program.