Caitlin Kowalski
About Me
A New England native, Caitlin grew up in Loudon, NH, and went on to attend Stonehill College where she received her B.S. in Biology in 2014. When not in lab, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and downhill skiing. While at Stonehill, Caitlin's research focused on the genetic and biochemical classification of a novel species of Methylobacterium isolated in association with the fungus Armillaria gallica. Caitlin's current work in the laboratory explores how the extracellular redox environment impacts the potential for virulence of the human pathogen A. fumigatus. Her preliminary experiments suggest that a reducing environment, driven in part by low oxygen levels, promotes the virulence of this increasingly important human pathogen. Currently, she is dissecting the molecular mechanisms through which a reducing environment promotes virulence in vivo.