Kaitriana (Katie) Colling is a fourth-year Cancer Biology PhD candidate under the mentorship of Dr. Kristi Thiel. Her thesis project focuses on identifying more effective hormone therapies for uterine cancer. In the lab, Katie uses cutting-edge preclinical models derived from patient tumor tissue to evaluate how different hormone therapies impact tumor growth and the immune response.

Before pursuing her PhD at the University of Iowa, Katie earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Her undergraduate research experiences with Dr. Megan Ealy at Drury and Dr. Mamta Tahiliani at New York University sparked her passion for biomedical research and inspired her to pursue a graduate education.

Katie’s decision to pursue cancer research was profoundly influenced by her grandmother’s battle with metastatic breast cancer. Watching her grandmother navigate the challenges of treatment inspired Katie to focus her research on identifying more effective therapies for cancer patients. 

Outside of the lab, Katie enjoys figure skating, hiking with her husband, Mathew, and spending time with her two birds, Cookie and Fig.