Kelly Weldon

Alma Mater: University of California, San Diego - B.S. Biochemistry/Chemistry

Matriculation Year: 2021

Current Stage: GS2

Graduate Group: Immunology

Ph.D. Mentor: Thomas Ambrosi

About Kelly: I spent my undergraduate years at the University of California, San Diego where I competed as a sprinter on the NCAA Div II track and field team. Post-graduation I spent 3 years continuing my work in the Dorrestein Lab at UCSD, conducting untargeted metabolomics projects across a variety of fields. I have a deep interest in the field of orthopaedics and musculoskeletal health. 

After four years here in Sacramento, I am an avid lover of the outdoors (trying to average 3 trips to Yosemite a year!), I enjoying running, hiking, camping, and hanging out with my Australian Shepherd, Oliver. 

Research Interests: Orthopaedics, Skeletal Stem Cells, Microbiome. My current research seeks to establish a comprehensive understanding of how age-related shifts in the gut microbiome drive systemic changes that ultimately affect bone health. Specifically, I aim to understand the gut microbiome’s influence over the stem cell-mediated processes governing skeletogenesis and hematopoiesis. 

Publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/kelly%20christine.weldon.1/bibliography/public/