Kathleen F. Arcaro

Kathleen F. Arcaro is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Massachusetts. Her research focuses on using breast milk to assess individual breast cancer risk through the analysis of DNA methylation patterns in epithelial cells. She holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University (1987) and completed postdoctoral training at the University at Albany, Wadsworth Laboratories, New York State Department of Health.

Her lab personnel include graduate students and undergraduate research assistants, with key advisees including Ashley Banas, Aliyah Dalier, Emma Gotschlich, and Lauren McCrystal. She was honored with the CNRE Achievement Award for Outstanding Teaching, reflecting her commitment to education. Research in her lab explores epigenetic markers in breast milk as predictive tools for cancer risk, aiming to inform preventive strategies for women.

Her work integrates molecular biology and clinical research, leveraging breast milk as a non-invasive biomarker source. Collaborations and grants support her efforts to bridge basic science with clinical applications in oncology.