معرفی
Kelly Whelan, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Cancer and Cellular Biology Department at Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine. She is affiliated with the Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine and focuses on autophagy mechanisms in esophageal diseases. Her research integrates molecular biology, 3D organoid models, and patient-derived specimens to study epithelial homeostasis in conditions like eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and Barrett’s Esophagus (BE). Dr. Whelan’s work aims to identify novel therapeutic strategies for benign and malignant diseases through understanding mucosal defense mechanisms.
Education: BA (2003) Rosemont College; PhD (2011) Drexel University; Postdoc (2015) University of Pennsylvania.
Research interests include mitochondrial dysfunction in EoE, autophagy’s role in epithelial repair, and fibrostenotic disease pathways. Recent studies highlight mitochondrial- immune crosstalk (e.g., STAT3/STAT6 pathways), CD73-adenosine axis regulation, and senescence mechanisms in esophageal pathology. Her work also explores how chronic inflammation may paradoxically reduce carcinogenesis risk in certain contexts.
Key awards include the NIH Loan Repayment Program (2014–present), NIDDK K01 Award (2015–2020), and multiple travel/fellowship honors. Her lab employs murine models, patient-derived organoids, and single-cell transcriptomics to investigate cell fate trajectories in disease states. Current projects address age-related autophagy declines, mitochondrial biomarkers in EoE, and drug repurposing for ESCC therapy.
Collaborations involve multi-site studies on EoE clinical biomarkers and translational applications of autophagy modulation. Her work bridges basic science and clinical care, with a focus on developing non-invasive diagnostic tools and targeted therapies for esophageal disorders.
