Kurt W. Runge

Kurt W. Runge is an Associate Professor in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He is also a member of the Cancer Genomics and Epigenomics Program at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and holds an external appointment in the Department of Inflammation and Immunity at the Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic.

Education:

• PhD in Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1985
• Undergraduate in Biology & Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, 1980

Dr. Runge's research focuses on telomere biology, gene silencing, and cellular aging mechanisms. His lab investigates how telomeres differ from DNA breaks and their role in chromosome stability, using Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast and tissue culture models. Additional work explores the Clg1-Pef1-Cek1 kinase pathway's regulation of autophagy and lifespan extension in yeast, and collaborations examine vitamin K-dependent carboxylation systems in mammals.

Scientific trends in his publications address telomere dynamics, DNA repair mechanisms, heterochromatin spreading, and kinase pathway interactions. His work bridges yeast genetics with translational studies in human disease pathways.

Scientific Honors:

• CIMER Trained Mentor for research mentoring excellence

Dr. Runge's lab employs yeast genetics, molecular biology, and biochemical approaches. He collaborates with Dr. Kathleen Berkner's lab on vitamin K metabolism studies and utilizes proximity labeling techniques (APEX2) to identify protein interactions in the Clg1-Pef1-Cek1 pathway.