Dr. Amy Kiger

Biography

Amy Kiger is an Associate Professor in the Department of Research specializing in cellular remodeling, with a focus on membrane regulation of dynamic cell organization and shape. Her research addresses fundamental problems in maintaining cell integrity and compartmentalization, particularly as they relate to development, immunity, aging, and disease. Her lab investigates the roles of novel membrane trafficking processes and lipid regulation in coordinating dynamic cell structure, utilizing genetic cell biology experiments in Drosophila to elucidate mechanisms of cell remodeling. Key areas of inquiry include the roles of phosphoinositide lipids and autophagy in cellular remodeling, and how specific lipid kinase and phosphatase activities contribute to the process. Kiger has demonstrated that autophagy is critical for the proper functioning of immune cells and their ability to effectively re-organize cytoskeletal structures, which are crucial during wound healing. Her work has implications for understanding diseases associated with disruptions in these cellular processes, such as centronuclear myopathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy. Kiger received her Ph.D. as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellow at Stanford School of Medicine and completed postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School as a Fellow of the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund for Medical Research.

Research Interests

Experience