PhD Candidate
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Kirsten Bowland is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Her thesis work revolves around developing a CRISPR-Cas9 based gene therapy for pancreatic cancer using next generation sequencing, genomics, and molecular biology techniques. At JHU, Kirsten enjoys mentoring and teaching junior members of her cohort with a focus on encouraging women in STEM. Prior to Johns Hopkins, she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Middle Tennessee State University with a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry. While at MTSU she excelled as an undergraduate researcher studying host-pathogen interactions and as a result was recognized as a Barry Goldwater Scholar in 2017. She was then awarded an NSF summer research internship at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, where she studied chromatin biology in the context of neuroblastoma and discovered her drive for cancer research. Outside of school, Kirsten is an avid reader, runner, gardener, and nature enthusiast. Many weekends she will be found hiking with her husband, son, and puppy. Professionally, Kirsten is passionate about gene therapy and translating novel therapeutic approaches to the clinic to make a direct impact on human health. She looks forward to graduating soon and pursuing a career developing novel treatments for intractable diseases.