Katherine uses biophysics- the intersection between biology and physics- to understand how cells use filaments called microtubules to carry out steps in cell division. Cell division is essential for developing embryos, producing the cells that sustain healthy tissues and organs, and repairing damage to these systems. Critically, both daughter cells must receive the correct number of chromosomes. For this to happen microtubules of the mitotic spindle attach to each pair of chromosomes, and the spindle is positioned prior to division by a separate, specialized set of microtubules. Microtubules intrinsically grow and shrink, an ability which cells coordinate and harness to generate force. How this works remains mysterious. Katherine studies this basic process by investigating the budding yeast +TIP body, a nanoscale assembly of proteins which positions the spindle. The +TIP body is similar to conserved structures found in mammalian cells and is predicted to control microtubules through biophysical properties that emerge from its behavior as a liquid-like droplet. During the scholarship period, Katherine will characterize biophysical properties of the +TIP body that coordinate the growth and shrinkage of an array of microtubules to allow them to work together, and measure how these are influenced by cellular regulators. In budding yeast, defective microtubules and spindle positioning prevent proliferation, but in multicellular organisms like humans it can lead to a plethora of diseases including cancer. Understanding the basic mechanisms by which microtubules are controlled has wide potential applications in detecting and treating these diseases. 

Katherine will hold the Scholarship and perform her research in the lab of Dr. Jacalyn Vogel.