She studies the gut microbiota in the broad context of host ecology and evolution, using non-human primates as models for studying host-gut microbe interactions. Her accomplishments include experience as a Fulbright Fellow and a National Geographic Young Explorer in Mexico. Dr. Amato received a Ph.D in ecology, evolution and conservation biology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013. She was a presenter at TEDx Jackson Hole in 2014, and was recently selected to be an Azrieli Global Scholar for the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and serves as an associate editor for the journal, Microbiome.