Katherine West MA, PhD

Katherine West's research lab is interested in the epigenetic mechanisms that control gene expression in stem cells. Neural stem cells (NCS) have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into all neuronal and glial cell types within the brain. In addition to their essential role during development, NSCs are important for learning, memory, and neuronal repair in adults. Genetically mutated NSC is also thought to be the origin of glioblastoma, which is one of the most common brain tumors in adults and has a very poor survival rate.

We are using next-generation sequencing to study the changes in histone modifications during stem cell differentiation and malignant transformation. By understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these cell type transitions, we hope to facilitate the use of epigenetic and stem cell therapies to treat cancer and neurodegenerative disease. Katherine does a lot of undergraduate and master's level teaching and is interested in how best to deliver teaching in cutting-edge technologies such as CRISPR, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics.