Karina is a Ph.D. student in Human Nutrition, working with Dr. Kimberly O'Brien. She earned her B.Sc. in Dietetics from McGill University and obtained her Registered Dietitian license in Canada. After completing one year of clinical practice, her strong interest in nutrition and preventative care led her to pursue a thesis-based M.Sc. in Human Nutrition, where she got inspired by the influential role of the gut microbiota in health. In Dr. O’Brien’s lab, Karina investigates the relationship between gut microbiota and iron absorption in humans, focusing on how plant-based and omnivorous diets affect iron metabolism and gut microbial health. Her research interests lie at the intersection of clinical nutrition and physiological mechanisms, to investigate preventative healthcare through human trials and multi-omics methodologies.

M.S., Human Nutrition, McGill University
B.S., Nutritional Science (Dietetics), McGill University