Dr. Kara Bernstein

Biography

Kara Anne Bernstein is the George W. Raiziss Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Ph.D. in Genetics from Yale University obtained in 2006, following an M.Phil. in Genetics from the same institution in 2004, and a B.A. in Biology from Bryn Mawr College in 2000. Her research expertise centers on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which proteins contribute to cancer development, particularly breast and ovarian cancers. Her lab studies how precise repair of DNA double-strand breaks is regulated in both yeast and mammalian systems. Dr. Bernstein's work is aimed at determining how genetic mutations in DNA repair genes, including RAD51 paralogs, lead to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers. The clinical implications of her research include the potential for improved cancer risk assessments based on family history and genetic screening for predisposition to these cancers. Dr. Bernstein's laboratory employs genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology techniques to investigate the functions of the RAD51 paralogs and to explore the interactions that impact DNA repair and cancer risk. Her work contributes to a growing understanding of how environmental factors and genetic make-up combine to influence cancer risk.

Research Interests