Katharine White

Katharine White is the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame, within the College of Science. Her research program focuses on understanding how intracellular pH (pHi) dynamics regulate proteins, signaling pathways, and cell behaviors, with direct applications to cancer biology and therapeutic development.

Research Interests: The White Lab investigates how transient changes in intracellular pH influence cell-cycle progression, migration, and differentiation, and how dysregulated pH contributes to diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration. A central goal is to uncover the molecular mechanisms by which protonation events drive coordinated changes from proteins to cellular behaviors. The lab employs interdisciplinary approaches across experimental scales—from identifying pH-sensing domains in proteins to developing optogenetic tools for spatiotemporal manipulation of pHi in living cells.

Publication Trends: Recent publications highlight a strong focus on pH regulation in cancer, including its role in transcriptional control, metabolic reprogramming, and cell cycle timing. The lab has pioneered optogenetic methods to manipulate pH with high precision, enabling novel insights into pH-dependent cellular processes. Their work bridges biochemistry, cell biology, and chemical biology, often revealing pH as a key regulatory node in oncogenic pathways.

Scientific Awards:

• NSF CAREER Award (2023)
• Scialog Fellow, Research Corporation for Science Advancement (2021, 2023)
• NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2, 2020–2025)
• Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship (2013–2016)
• Outstanding Teaching Award (2008)
• American Chemical Society Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award (2007)

Advising and Grants: Dr. White actively mentors a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate researchers. Her trainees have received prestigious fellowships such as the NSF-GRFP, Walther Cancer Foundation IITP, and BIPH fellowships. Her research is supported by major grants including the NIH DP2 and NSF CAREER, reflecting the innovation and impact of her work. She fosters collaborations across disciplines, including with the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department at Notre Dame.

Labs and Teams: The White Lab is a vibrant, interdisciplinary research group based in Harper Hall. It includes graduate students, undergraduate researchers, and postdoctoral scholars working on projects ranging from molecular tool development to cancer metabolism. The lab emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and training the next generation of scientists, particularly supporting women and underrepresented groups in STEM.