Assistant Professor

Keren is originally from Germany and obtained her B.S. in biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2007. She received her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2013, where she trained with Dr. Jackie Lees and received an NSF graduate fellowship to study how the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) tumor suppressor can directly promote programmed cell death at mitochondria. She completed her postdoctoral training at Stanford University in 2020, where she trained with Dr. Peter Jackson and received a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship to study how a specialized signaling organelle called the primary cilium organizes signal transduction pathways regulating cell differentiation in both fat tissue and muscle tissue. She joined the faculty at the University of Utah in September 2020. Outside the lab, Keren loves to spend time with her young family, travel, ski, and explore new restaurants.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Menusha is a native of Malaysia who moved to Michigan for her higher education. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Michigan-Flint in 2017 with a scholarship from the Malaysian Ministry of Education. She completed her PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at Van Andel Institute in 2023. Under the mentorship of Drs. Matt Steensma and Carrie Graveel, Menusha studied how germline NF1 mutation alters the extracellular matrix and stromal cells prior to breast cancer formation. Menusha joined the Hilgendorf Lab as a postdoctoral fellow in 2023 to study the impact of diet on adipose tissue biology in breast cancer. Beyond science, she enjoys painting, working out, and good food – either experimenting with recipes or trying new restaurants.

Graduate Student

Meghan received her undergraduate degree from Quinnipiac University in microbiology and immunology. In 2020, she joined the Molecular Biology Ph.D. program at the University of Utah and the lab shortly after. As a current graduate student in the Hilgendorf lab, Meghan works to understand the communication between breast cancer cells and adipose tissue, with a specific focus on paracrine signaling networks. In her free time, Meghan enjoys running, hiking, camping, and rock climbing with friends.

Laboratory Manager

<Bio coming soon>

Graduate Student

Abby graduated from Carleton College in 2020 with a degree in biology and a minor in Spanish. She worked as a research technician for two years studying nanobodies from sharks and llamas, and joined the Molecular Biology PhD program at the University of Utah in 2022. In the Hilgendorf lab, Abby focuses on the interactions between breast cancer cells and adipose tissue, with a particular interest in understanding the impact of adipose tissue on cancer cell metastasis. Outside of lab, Abby spends her time hiking, running, drawing, reading, and baking (pies, mostly).

Graduate Student

Mark graduated from the University of Idaho in 2019 with a degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. He worked as a technician studying “killer yeast” for two years before joining the Molecular Biology program at the University of Utah in 2021. Mark is interested in researching the mechanisms of paracrine signals that influence preadipocyte differentiation through the primary cilia. Outside of lab, you can find Mark enjoying the outdoor climbing, mountain biking, and snowboarding that Salt Lake has to offer.

Graduate Student

<Bio coming soon>

Graduate Student

<Bio coming soon>