Breen Lab @ NCSU

Isabella is from Portland, Oregon, which she credits for invoking her love of the natural world. She received her BS in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology from San Diego State University in 2020. Currently, she is a Genetics Ph.D. candidate focused on the use of genetic and genomic tools in wildlife health and conservation assessments. Since enrolling at NC State, Isabella has worked on projects with California sea lions, Galapagos sea lions, and American black bears. She hopes to work with as many species as possible. In her free time Isabella enjoys playing with her bearded dragon Hades, labradoodle Tucker, and Maine Coon Harvey.

GG Scholar Spotlight: Isabella Livingston

Congratulations to Isabella for passing her PhD prelims (October 2023)

Congratulations to Isabella for receiving the following awards.

• “Golden Microscope Award“. This award is for the Best 4th Year Presentation and the annual Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics Graduate Programs Symposium (2025).

• Integrative Symposium of NC State Training Grants (2025) Best poster award for her poster “Molecular Discovery of Filarial Nematode DNA in an Endangered Galapagos Pinniped”

• CVM Research Forum – Top Honor (2023)

• Genetics and Genomics Academy Henry E. Schaffer Teaching Award Recipient (2023)

• NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy Travel Award (2023)

• NCSU GAANN Fellowship (2023 -2024)

• Genetics and Genomics Academy Flash Talk Competition (2022) – Second place recipient

Isabella presenting her poster about the genetics of black bears across North Carolina.