Sebastian Alvarado worked in the private biotech industry for four years before pursuing an academic career in graduate studies. He earned his PhD at McGill University where he learned about the molecular mechanisms that lend plasticity to biological systems. His research has given him an extensive background on environment-gene interactions and how they play important roles in the progression of cancer and chronic pain. Following his PhD, he received an A.P. Giannini postdoctoral fellowship to continue his research at Stanford University. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at Queens College CUNY where he uses an African cichlid fish to understand molecular ecology, animal pigmentation, and behavioral neuroscience.