Karen is a second year Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Neurology. She received a B.S. in Biopsychology from Eckerd College in Florida and then moved to Europe to complete her graduate work. Karen received a M.S. in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. She then received two PhD’s in Neuroscience from the University of Bordeaux and the VU University Amsterdam as a result of a collaborative project investigating astrocyte proteins that regulate memory formation. Her postdoctoral research is supervised by Dr. Dandan Sun and focuses on the role of ion transporters in the progression of glioblastoma mediated by the communication between glioma and microglia. Karen served on the 2015 Executive Board as Advocacy Committee Chair.

Karen is a native of Western Pennsylvania and spends her spare time rowing on the Allegheny with Three Rivers Rowing Association. She is excited to assume her new role on the Executive Board as President and guide the organization of more fun and informative activities for the Postdoc community.