About Erica Cain
2012 Sarachek Award Recipient
Erica Lynn Cain is a doctoral candidate in the Division of Biology, in the laboratory of Dr. Alexander Beeser. Her research focuses on the dual specificity phosphatase 12 (dusp12) gene. The dusp12 gene is amplified in many cancers suggesting that it may function in cancer development and/or progression. Erica is examining the cellular function of DUSP12 and examining whether over-expression of this gene promotes cancer properties in cells.
Erica has published one paper from her doctoral research and has an additional manuscript in preparation. She is also a co-author on two papers on research she conducted as an undergraduate in the laboratory of Dr. A. Lorena Passarelli in the Division of Biology.
Erica received her Bachelor's degree in Microbiology from Kansas State University in 2007 and immediately began her graduate studies in the Division of Biology. She maintains a 3.9 G.P.A. and will graduate in May 2012. She was a recipient of a Sarachek Scientific Travel Award in 2011 and a NSF GK-12 EIDRoP Fellow (2010-2011).
Erica will use the fellowship to help her to relocate her family to San Francisco, California, where she is excited to begin her post-doctoral training in the lab of Dr. Peter Walter at the University of California, San Francisco in June 2012.
(Photo credit to: David Mayes, K-State Division of Communications & Marketing, Office of Photo Service)