Carla Finkielstein

Carla Finkielstein is a Professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and in the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Virginia Tech. She serves as Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory and Interim Director of the Cancer Research Group. She is also the Roger H. Moore and Mojdeh Khatam-Moore Faculty Fellow and Co-Director of the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance.

• Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Buenos Aires
• B.Sc., Molecular Biology, University of Buenos Aires

Finkielstein's research centers on the molecular circadian clock and its role in cancer development, particularly how disruptions in circadian rhythms affect tumor suppression and DNA repair. Her work bridges molecular biology, systems biology, and translational medicine, with a strong emphasis on chronotherapeutics—the optimization of treatment timing based on biological rhythms. She investigates the interactions between key circadian proteins like Period 2 and tumor suppressors such as p53, providing foundational insights into cancer progression.

Her recent publications highlight a shift toward interdisciplinary applications, including the development of scalable diagnostic tools for public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. These works reflect a trend of integrating circadian biology with clinical diagnostics and public health implementation, demonstrating her commitment to translating basic science into real-world solutions.

Notable scientific awards include:

• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2009)
• Ut Prosim Scholar Award, Virginia Tech (2021)
• Alumni Award for Outreach Excellence, Virginia Tech (2015)
• American Association for Cancer Research Minority Scholar Award (2010)
• J. Shelton Horsley Research Award (2019)

Finkielstein has secured major grants from the NSF, Avon Foundation, Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and American Heart Association. She has mentored over 100 undergraduates, 24 international high school students, nine graduate students, two medical students, and four postdoctoral fellows. Her outreach includes public lectures, advocacy for early breast cancer screening, and community programs like Mobil Momm to increase access to mammograms in rural areas.

She leads the Finkielstein Lab and the Integrated Cellular Responses Laboratory, both based at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC’s Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke. Her teams focus on circadian regulation in cancer, diagnostic development, and interdisciplinary training in translational biology.