Katelyn C
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at Princeton University
Expertise
Projects that explore cellular features of disease progression, such as manipulation of the subcellular organization of proteins, lipids, and other biomolecules at organelles during a virus infection, neurodegeneration, or a developmental disorder; ALSO, projects that explore cell-cell or organelle-organelle communication events and cellular organization in general (humans, plants, corals, algae, bacteria, any organism)
Bio
My interests lie in investigating how cells are organized at the molecular level -- cells are not just haphazard bags of proteins, lipids, and other biomolecules, but are highly organized spaces, and this is critical for biological functions. Where do cells put different biomolecules, who do they interact with, and why? How does this change in different cell states, cell types, organisms, or during diseases? I like to use multi-disciplinary approaches to ask these questions, from proteomics to super-resolution microscopy to genetic interventions, and am always considering biology through the lens of both space (subcellular organization) and time (disease progression or environmental response). In particular, I'm fascinated by the structure-function relationships of organelles, and discovering how "form follows function" for organelles that come in a beautiful diversity of specialized shapes for controlling specific biological processes. Outside of my research life, I am an avid explorer of the outdoors and different cultures, with a love for seeing, tasting, and experiencing new things, especially if they involve a little adventure and adrenaline. I spend at least an hour everyday exercising (lifting weights, cycling, running, or playing sports), trying to always improve and reach new personal bests. I also love to cook (unironically, given my last name), escape in a good fantasy book or RPG video game, tend to my herb garden and growing collection of houseplants, and cuddle my adorable tabby cat, Copper.Project ideas
Exploring how RNA viruses restructure endoplasmic reticulum (ER) networks
Many RNA viruses replicate within ER-derived compartments that are formed by viruses upon invading a host cell. What do these pro-viral structures look like, and how are they formed? Why do the structures vary between different viruses, such as Hepatitis C virus versus SARS-CoV-2? Are there some patterns that may give us some insight into the subcellular determinants of an infectious process? This project would involve developing visual representations (cartoons, figures, citing microscopy images from published research) of ER structure, coupled to a research paper that summarizes the major findings and interpretations of the student.
Neurodegenerative disorders and the disruption of mitochondrial structure
The mitochondria is the power-house of the cell and a major site of cellular stress and immune responses. Its complex and beautiful structure (outer membrane, inner membrane space, cristae infoldings, and matrix) is critical for these functions. These structures have been observed to be disrupted during the progression of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's isease, but the functional links to structural changes remain unclear. Are there themes in mitochondrial structure across different neurodegenerative diseases? What can this tell us about the roles of mitochondria in neurons? Can therapeutics regulate mitochondrial structure to restore neuronal function? This project would involve developing visual representations (cartoons, figures, citing microscopy images from published research) of mitochondrial structures, coupled to a research paper that summarizes the major findings and interpretations of the student.