معرفی
Dr. K.E. Stecker serves as an Assistant Professor in the Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics (BMSP) group within the Faculty of Science at Utrecht University. Her research focuses on applying innovative mass spectrometry approaches to understand protein regulation in cancer, with particular emphasis on tumor-immune cell interactions.
Dr. Stecker's research interests span several interconnected areas of molecular and cellular biology. She investigates protein signaling in immuno-oncology, exploring how tumor cells interact with immune cells and how these interactions can be leveraged for therapeutic benefit. Her work on protein regulation in cytokine-mediated cell death provides insights into fundamental mechanisms of cell survival and death pathways. Additionally, she develops innovative mass spectrometry methods to study protein post-translational modifications, which are crucial for understanding cellular signaling networks.
Her recent publications reveal a strong trajectory from plant proteomics during her PhD to cancer-focused research during her postdoc and faculty position. The work shows increasing emphasis on translational applications, particularly in immuno-oncology and breast cancer research. Her group employs advanced proteomics and phosphoproteomics techniques to study protein dynamics in cellular systems, with particular focus on microtubule regulation, DNA damage response, and tumor-immune interactions.
Scientific Recognition:
- National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (awarded during PhD work)
Dr. Stecker leads an active research group that applies cutting-edge mass spectrometry approaches to address fundamental questions in cancer biology. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, particularly through collaborations with clinical researchers studying treatment resistance in breast cancer. The group has developed specialized techniques for phosphoproteomics sample preparation and analysis that have been widely adopted in the field.
Her laboratory focuses on understanding protein regulation in cancer, with particular expertise in studying protein signaling networks that govern tumor-immune cell interactions. The group combines biochemical, proteomic, and cell biological approaches to investigate how post-translational modifications regulate protein function in cancer contexts.
