Makayla Hedges is currently a first-year graduate student in the Wuest lab. She was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she stayed to obtain her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville. During this time, she worked under Dr. Joshua Baccile where she studied the metabolic fate of isopentenyl and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate using in-vivo isotopic labeling in diverse organisms. Makayla made the move to Atlanta, Georgia to pursue her PhD in Chemistry with a focus in organic synthesis and chemical biology at Emory University. These interests led her to join the Wuest lab in the Fall of 2024 where she has now begun working on the synthesis of siderophore-based chemical probes to understand bacterial virulence. Outside of the lab, Makayla enjoys exploring this new city with her partner, Adam, and their little dog, Harlequin. She is a rock enthusiast and always enjoys wandering local rock and crystal shops with a coffee in-hand.