Casey Katerndahl

E-mail: kate0007@umn.edu

Year entered: 2008

Thesis Advisor: Mike Farrar

Degrees received:
B.S., University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Thesis Research:
My thesis work is focused on understanding how Interleukin-7 Receptor (IL7R) signaling drives lymphocyte development. Using a phosphopeptide-based approach, I found that certain residues in the IL7Ralpha chain are critical for the recruitment of STAT5 to the cytoplasmic tail of the IL7R. I am generating transgenic mice with gain- and loss-of-function mutations to examine the role of these residues in vivo. In addition, preliminary work in the lab suggested that another residue in the cytoplasmic domain of the IL7R is required for efficient B cell, but not T cell, development. I have generated transgenic mice expressing a point mutation at this residue in order to study its role in lymphocyte development.

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