Leslie 's undergraduate studies focused on the molecular mechanisms of enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC). After college, she worked in addiction rehabilitation and then went on to become a pediatric clinical research assistant with Dr. Robert Steiner at OHSU in Portland, OR. The Steiner lab studies rare genetic disorders, including Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) and Cererotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX), in which the body cannot properly synthesize or processes cholesterol. These disorders are caused by defects in the enzymes involved in the biochemical pathways that either synthesize cholesterol or that convert cholesterol into bile acids. While with the lab, Leslie performed diagnostic and clinical testing, mutation analysis, assisted in clinical trials, and maintained an SLOS and CTX cell bank. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys rock climbing, horse back riding, and hanging out with her 2 dogs.