C. elegans Archives - Sanford Burnham Prebys

Kevin Tharp studies the interplay between mitochondrial metabolism and the physical properties of the tumor microenvironment, using genetically engineered mouse models and bioengineered human tumor models to define the mitochondrial programming unique to cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment.

His goal is to develop new therapies that block the metabolic adaptations that cancer cells use to metastasize, a major cause of cancer-associated mortality.

“I study how cells make decisions about their metabolic programming, which I expect will enable us to develop new therapeutics against metastatic tumor cells.”

Tharp previously worked as a postdoctoral scholar in the Center for Bioengineering & Tissue Regeneration at UCSF Health.

He completed his PhD in metabolic biology at UC Berkeley and his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology at UC Santa Cruz, where he graduated with honors and the Dean’s Award in Chemistry.

He has received meritorious funding awards from the Sandler Foundation and the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute for his postdoctoral research.

Google Scholar profile

Dr. Kumsta earned her degree as a Diplom Biologist/M.Sc. and PhD from the Technical University of Munich, Germany and performed her thesis research in the laboratory of Dr. Ursula Jakob at the University of Michigan. Dr. Kumsta joined Sanford Burnham Prebys and the lab of Malene Hansen as a postdoctoral fellow in 2009. In 2018 Caroline was promoted to Research Assistant Professor and then to Assistant Professor in 2021. Dr. Kumsta’s research focuses on the role of autophagy in hormetic stress responses, aging, and neurodegeneration in C. elegans and human tissues.

Education and Training

2018-2021: Research Assistant Professor, Sanford Burnham Prebys
2016-2018: Staff Scientist, , Sanford Burnham Prebys
2009-2016: Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Malene Hansen, Sanford Burnham Prebys
2009: Postdoctoral Associate with Dr. Ursula Jakob, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
2005-2008: Doctor rerum naturalium (PhD) with Dr. Ursula Jakob, University of Michigan and Technical University of Munich
1999-2005: Diplom-Biologin Univ. (MS), Technical University of Munich, Germany

Honors and Awards

2024: R01 NIA: Hormetic regulation of autophagy in aging
2024: Selected as Member of Council of International Rising Stars (COIRS) of The Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research (NIH-funded AIM Center, University of New Mexico) 
2023: P30 NIA: Pilot Grant, San Diego – Nathan Shock Center: Heterogeneity of autophagy during aging
2022: W.O.W. Award – For Wonderful Original Work, presented at the Annual Retreat of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Faculty 
2022: NIA Fellow Award at 2022 Autophagy Gordon Research Conference
2015: Best Oral Presentation Prize, EMBO Workshop: The Regulation of Aging and Proteostasis
2013: AFAR Postdoctoral Fellowship: Transcriptional regulation of autophagy in promoting proteostasis upon hormetic stress
2013: Best Oral Presentation at the 12th Annual Poster Symposium at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
2011: Fishman Fund Career Development Award 
2011: AACR Postdoctoral Fellowship: Translational Control of Tumor Formation in C. elegans

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