Dr. McKinley studies how cells change their shape and behavior to build the complex structures that comprise mammalian organs. Cellular behaviors that occur during embryonic development are frequently co-opted by cancer cells during tumorigenesis and metastasis. Her goal is to understand how the machinery within cells drives changes in tissue architecture in a developmental context, generating new insights into how these cellular processes are corrupted during cancer progression.
Damon Runyon Researchers
Meet Our Scientists
Kara L. McKinley, PhD
Project title: "Mechanisms and functions of cellular rearrangements in epithelia"
Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Award Program: Fellow
Sponsor(s) / Mentor(s): Ronald D. Vale, PhD
Cancer Type: All Cancers
Research Area: Cell Biology
