Karen Echeverri

Karen Echeverri is a Researcher at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), affiliated with the University of Chicago. Her work focuses on regeneration biology, particularly in spinal cord repair and scar-free wound healing using axolotls and Nematostella vectensis as model organisms.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Zoology, Trinity College Dublin & Max Planck Institute (2003)
  • B.Sc. Hons. in Biochemistry, National University of Ireland Galway (1998)

Her research explores:

• Molecular mechanisms of spinal cord regeneration in salamanders
• Role of neural progenitor cells and glial cells in scarless healing
• Evolutionary conservation of regenerative pathways between invertebrates (sea anemones) and vertebrates (axolotls)
• Transcriptional profiling and in vivo imaging to track cellular responses to injury

Publications highlight her contributions to understanding miR-200a regulation, AP-1 transcription factors, and SALL4 in tissue repair. Her team investigates how these mechanisms could inform human regenerative medicine.