Jennifer Kohler

Jennifer Kohler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She leads the Kohler Lab, which focuses on developing chemical biology tools to study glycosylation in biological systems. Her research has significant implications for understanding fundamental biology, cancer metastasis, and infectious diseases.

Dr. Kohler completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at Bryn Mawr College. She earned her Ph.D. in the Chemistry Department at Yale University, where she studied the kinetics of protein-DNA interactions under Prof. Alanna Schepartz. From 2000-2004, she was an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Carolyn Bertozzi at the University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Kohler's research focuses on understanding the roles of glycoconjugates in biological systems. Her lab develops innovative chemical biology methods to address challenges in glycoscience, particularly through the creation of photocrosslinking sugar analogs that can be metabolically incorporated into cellular glycoconjugates. These tools enable the identification of transient glycan-mediated interactions that would otherwise be difficult to capture. Her work spans multiple areas including:

• Development of photocrosslinking reagents for sialic acid and GlcNAc
• Investigation of glycan-mediated host-pathogen interactions, particularly with cholera toxin
• Exploration of O-GlcNAc's role in nuclear transport
• Creation of methods to discover glycoprotein substrates of sialidases
• Understanding glycosylation in intestinal epithelial tissue

Analysis of Dr. Kohler's recent publications (2021-2024) reveals a consistent focus on glycobiology with particular emphasis on sialic acid and O-GlcNAc modifications. Her work bridges chemical biology and disease mechanisms, with applications in infectious disease (particularly cholera), metabolism, and cancer. She frequently collaborates with other researchers worldwide and shares her innovative photocrosslinking reagents with the scientific community.

Dr. Kohler was an American Cancer Society postdoctoral fellow during her time at UC Berkeley. While specific awards aren't detailed in the provided text, her sustained research program and numerous high-impact publications suggest recognition within her field.

Dr. Kohler advises graduate students in the Biochemistry and Cell Regulation programs at UT Southwestern. Her research is supported by grants that enable her lab to develop and implement new tools for studying glycosylated molecules, with applications spanning fundamental biology, cancer metastasis, and infectious disease. She has mentored numerous students and postdoctoral fellows who have contributed to her extensive publication record.

The Kohler Lab is dedicated to advancing glycoscience through innovative chemical biology approaches. The lab actively develops and shares photocrosslinking sugar analogs that have been adopted by research groups worldwide. Current research focuses on understanding glycosylation in intestinal epithelial tissue and its implications for host-pathogen interactions. The lab maintains strong collaborations with other research groups both within UT Southwestern and internationally.