She received her Ph.D. from Georgia State University, where she studied the mechanisms of chronic inflammation of the colon in mouse models. For her dissertation project, Alex studied changes to the immune system during periods of chronic inflammation, and the rise of immunosuppressive cells from the bone marrow. Before staring her graduate research program, Alex held microbiology and toxicology positions for the two Georgia-based medical device companies CryoLife, Inc. and CibaVision.