Rebecca was born in Curitiba, Brazil, and grew up in San Ramon, California. She earned a B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology at UC Berkeley and worked in Dr. Dan Portnoy’s lab studying Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne bacterial pathogen. In the Malik lab, she works with Maria to study micropeptides and their role in antiviral immunity. Outside of the lab, Rebecca is an avid fiber artist and sewist.