Katherine completed her PhD in physics at the University of Missouri. Her research interests are in single-molecule biophysics and precision measurement. Via a variety of methods, principally atomic force microscopy, she seeks to elucidate the cell-damaging mechanisms of pore-forming peptide toxins. In particular she is interested in the newly discovered fungal toxin candidalysin and potential routes of pharmaceutical intervention for fungal infections. Katherine is also interested in material science and using ice lithographic techniques to pattern nanostructures and biomaterials.