Nykia D Walker

Nykia D Walker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Her research focuses on cancer biology, extracellular vesicles, and tumor microenvironment interactions, with particular emphasis on metastasis mechanisms, dormancy in cancer cells, and immunotherapy applications. She explores how exosomes mediate communication between cancer cells and immune components, influencing metastatic progression and therapeutic resistance.

Her work integrates advanced microscopy techniques, molecular biology, and clinical applications. Recent studies investigate how tumor-derived exosomes prepare pre-metastatic niches and how macrophage polarization impacts breast cancer dormancy. She also contributed to postdoctoral experience surveys highlighting pandemic-related research culture changes.

Dr. Walker’s lab employs interdisciplinary approaches to study stem cell behavior in cancer contexts and evaluates novel therapeutic strategies leveraging extracellular vesicles. Her research bridges basic science and translational medicine, addressing challenges in regenerative therapies and cancer treatment resistance.