Katie is a dedicated scholar and community member recognized for her “energy, diligence, resourcefulness, and creativity” as well as her “fearless acquisition of new research skills.”

Katie Winner is pursuing a joint PhD in Microbiology and Immunology and master’s in epidemiology with an interest in the interface between biomedical research and clinical medicine. Previously as a Fulbright Scholar in the Czech Republic, Katie studied mechanisms of tRNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei, the pathogen that causes African sleeping sickness. This fascinating work ultimately compelled Katie to pursue graduate study with the goal of advancing our understanding of the mechanistic role of microbes in human health and disease.

Katie has only deepened her commitment to studying public health-related diseases during her time at U-M. While working in the lab of Dr. Robert Dickson, Katie developed a project assessing the role of the microbiome on acute kidney injury onset and severity in sepsis. She was also awarded a spot on the competitive Molecular Mechanisms in Microbial Pathogenesis T32 Training Program and received a Rackham Travel Award to present her research at the American Thoracic Society International Conference. Now, Katie is conducting public health research in Israel under the mentorship of Dr. Jacob Moran-Gilad, a professor of Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Medicine and senior consultant to the Israeli Ministry of Health, and gaining hands-on experience in the use of cutting-edge laboratory methods for infectious disease outbreak investigation. Specifically, Katie is focused on identifying environmental reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance by monitoring antimicrobial resistant bacteria and their genes in domestic and wildlife animals in Israel.

Katie is a dedicated scholar and community member recognized for her “energy, diligence, resourcefulness, and creativity” as well as her “fearless acquisition of new research skills.” Beyond her studies, Katie is a “gifted leader” who serves as the graduate president and Connect capstone program facilitator for FEMMES. Her collaborative outreach work makes a difference by inspiring the next generation of young women to explore science.

CEW+ commends Katie’s commitment to public health and women in science and names her a Simson Family Graduate Fellow.