Tanya received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a Chemistry minor and an additional concentration in Neuroscience from the University of Pennsylvania. Before beginning at USC, Tanya worked as a Research Assistant in Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania and USC. She is currently a Ph.D. student and research assistant in Preventive Medicine (Health Behavior Research) under Dr. Michael Goran. Her main research interests include the relationship between body fat and increased disease risk, in addition to the relationship between obesity and the brain reward system.