Dr. Alexandra E. Cuaycal is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the University of Florida. She earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Cell Science from UF in the summer of 2023. Dr. Cuaycal's research focuses on elucidating the molecular mechanisms that lead to beta-cell dysfunction prior to the onset of type 1 diabetes, including the interplay between the islet-immune cell interface. She employs high-throughput spatial biology techniques alongside advanced bioinformatics tools to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms driving beta-cell dysfunction and loss.