She is a specialist in pediatric cancer and blood diseases at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital with a special interest in defining the underlying mechanisms in the development of lymphoid malignancies, including leukemia and lymphoma. She earned a medical degree and doctorate in developmental biology at Washington University School of Medicine and the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences. She completed a fellowship in pediatric hematology and oncology and a residency, fellowship and post-doc at UCSF before joining the faculty in 2002.