Lara Brindisi is a recent PhD graduate from the Department of Plant Biology at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Her dissertation work focused on exploring the genetics and phytochemistry related to cold tolerance in sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). She uses traditional and advanced breeding techniques in the laboratory, greenhouse, and field such as genetic linkage mapping, RNA-sequencing, machine learning, and CRISPR/Cas9 editing. She has also led several other projects in the Simon lab including screening Ocimum germplasm for key botanical traits and basil downy mildew resistance, assessing the nutrition of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) grown by urban farmers in Kenya, and investigating the phytochemical and sensory relationship of vertically farmed leafy greens.