She is currently Assistant Director for Educational Programs at the Food and Drug Law Institute, where she creates educational conferences, courses, and webinars for the food and drug law community. She has worked on science regulatory and policy issues at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Melissa initially became interested in legal issues with a scientific component when drafting her published law review article, Who Should Hold Property Rights to the Human Genome? An Application of the Common Heritage of Humankind. She is especially interested in creating a passion for science among younger generations that continues throughout their lives. Melissa has been a proud Rockville resident since 2000.