Dr. Friedman earned a Ph.D. in comparative pathology from the University of California, Davis. Her research focuses on the examination of infectious and non-infectious diseases of wild and cultured marine invertebrates and on the conservation of marine invertebrates, particularly abalone. More specifically, she investigates the mass mortality of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) on the west coast of the United States and the herpes-like viral infection of Pacific oysters.