Kathleen J Green, PhD

Joseph L Mayberry Sr. Professor of Pathology
Feinberg School of Medicine

Research Interests:
Dr. Green’s research program is directed toward elucidating the structure and function of epithelial adhesion molecules and adhesive structures in tissue morphogenesis and differentiation, as well as in pathological processes such as cancer, autoimmune and inherited disease. A particular focus is on the assembly and regulation of an intercellular junction called the desmosome, which is the most prominent adhesive structure in tissues that experience mechanical stress such as the epidermis and cardiac muscle. Green’s work was instrumental in the discovery of a new gene family, now called the plakin family. In addition, this work helped facilitate the identification of human genetic diseases affecting the skin and heart, resulting from mutations in the plakin gene, desmoplakin, and continues to shed light on the pathophysiology of these inherited desmosome deficiencies.