Christine Bowen is a current PhD student in the Biochemistry, Cell, and Developmental Biology Program. She received her Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Appalachian State University. She proceeded to spend two years at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) as a Post-Baccalaureate. There she studied neuroinflammation as part of the National Toxicology Program (NTP). More specifically, she studied how flame retardants change the bioenergetics of Microglia. Christine is most interested in understanding how neuroinflammatory diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, change the function and behavior of Microglia.