I am originally from Argentina, from where I received my degree in biology.   I got my PhD from the University of California, Davis in 1996.  I then went on to do a postdoc at Harvard University and in 2005 I joined the Department of Anthropology at Penn.
           My work is primarily concerned with the interactions between human reproductive biology and the ecological and cultural context in which it develops.   My research program takes a biocultural approach, that is, the interplay between biology and culture takes a central role in interpreting reproductive patterns.  Some of the topics I have explored are the determinants of the return to postpartum fecundity, the variation in reproductive hormonal levels within and between women in relation to environmental variables, growth and development patterns in breastfed infants, and variation in male and female life history in populations experiencing drastic lifestyle changes.  
            My research interests include human reproductive ecology, reproductive endocrinology, maternal and child health, and health of indigenous populations in Latin America.