Katherine Ramos Joins Nghiem Lab & MC3 Institute

Please join us in welcoming graduate student Katherine "Kat" Ramos, BS (she/her) to the Nghiem Lab and Merkel Cell Carcinoma Collaborative (MC3) Institute!

Katherine will support ongoing research projects focused on the biology, treatment and prevention of skin cancers. 

Welcome to the team, Katherine!

Welcome Q&A

Hometown: Murrieta, California

What is your previous work and education experience? 

I received my BS in Microbiology from the University of California, San Diego. As an undergraduate, I worked at Garage Brewing Co. as a quality assurance scientist before joining the Dutton Lab, where I studied the microbiomes of cheese rinds.

After graduating, I spent two years in the Gibbons Lab at the Institute for Systems Biology, researching how the human gut microbiome influences host health. I’m now a PhD student in the Molecular and Cellular Biology program at the University of Washington.

What areas of research are you most interested in learning more about? 

I’ve been fascinated by the gut microbiome since my undergraduate studies, and I’m excited to contribute to the Bench to Bedside project exploring how Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) impacts patient gut microbial communities. I’m also deeply interested in computational biology and look forward to helping build a classifier to detect MCPyV-specific TCRs in MCC patients.

What skills do you hope to gain in this position?

I hope to gain new skills in both the wet lab and dry lab!

What do you like to do in your free time?

I love roller skating or hiking when the sun’s out! On quieter days, I enjoy watching movies or joining art workshops. Most of all, I cherish spending quality time with my family and friends. :)