When Logan Kavanaugh left college after her first year, she wasn’t sure she’d ever return. The first-generation student had earned a spot in a biology program, but financial strain and personal hardship forced her to step away. For four years, she worked as a bartender, uncertain if she’d ever pick up where she left off.

Everything changed with a single microbiology class at a community college. The course reignited her passion for science and set her on a new path — one that led to a bachelor’s and master’s degree, groundbreaking research into antibiotic resistance, and ultimately a doctorate from Emory in August 2024.

At Emory’s Laney Graduate School, Kavanaugh thrived as both a scientist and a leader. She joined the Conn Lab, where her work focused on how pathogenic bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics – a growing global health crisis – and how new therapies block that resistance. Along the way, she mentored first-generation and women-in-science undergraduates, served as president of the Graduate Division Student Advisory Council, and contributed to the Emory Science Advocacy Network.

Financial support was pivotal to her success. She became an ARCS Scholar with the Atlanta Chapter, which connected her to supporters and opened professional doors. At an ARCS Atlanta event, Kavanaugh presented her research and was introduced to Yogi Patel, the future CEO of TopoDx, a microbial diagnostics startup born out of research at Emory and Georgia Tech. The connection eventually led to her dream job.

Kavanaugh credits her ARCS Atlanta donors, John and Linda McGowan, for their support.

“My ARCS donors, John and Linda, have been incredibly kind and gracious, not only with their money, but also with their time,” she says. John was at Emory as a professor, studying antibiotic resistance, “so we share the love of the field.”

After graduation, Kavanaugh completed a brief postdoctoral appointment at Emory before joining TopoDx.

Kavanaugh is now lead research scientist at TopoDx, heading all biological research and development for the company, which combines expertise in pathology, physics and AI to address an expensive barrier in efforts to mitigate the global threat of antibiotic resistance: the lengthy process of identifying a drug-resistant infection.

“Without that ARCS introduction, I would not be in my dream job actively contributing to a cause that is dear to me,” Kavanaugh says.

She is most proud of her perseverance in sticking to science and the path forward.

“Some days, when startup life is difficult, or science isn’t going according to plan, looking back on all I have accomplished brings me a sense of relief. These experiences of success and failure truly make me appreciate the small things,” Kavanaugh explains.

“Emory has had such a major positive impact on my life. I’m grateful I was given the opportunity to find my path as a scientist through the professors in the program. They are the real rockstars,” she says.

(Thank you to Emory University Magazine for sharing this article.)

See more about Logan's story here: https://news.emory.edu/features/2025/12/emag_creative_compassionate_leaders_02-12-2025/assets/3dSqEXyrPe/emory_2036_-_logan_scholarship_-donor_version-720p-1280x720.webm