Professor Dr. Katherine Stewart

Biography

Dr. Katherine Stewart is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto. She conducts research at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, where her work focuses on stem cell biology and its implications for skin health and disease. With a PhD in Molecular Genetics, Dr. Stewart’s laboratory investigates the role of stem cells in maintaining tissue homeostasis and the mechanisms by which these cells respond to cellular death in their environment. Her research is centered on how hair follicle stem cells interact with apoptotic cells, uncovering the exciting role of these stem cells in tissue preservation and immune response modulation. Dr. Stewart’s innovative approach combines advanced genetic analysis, single-cell transcriptomics, and imaging techniques on both mouse models and human patient samples. Her groundbreaking findings suggest that stem cells not only replace lost cells but also actively clear dying cells, influencing their own functional dynamics and tissue health. The lab’s future projects aim to explore the therapeutic implications of these findings in diseases such as squamous cell carcinoma and alopecia areata.

Research Interests

Experience

Awards