Alexandra Berkowicz

Alexandra Berkowicz is a 2022-2026 Self Graduate Fellow pursuing a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. After growing up in Gurnee, Illinois, Alexandra graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2021 with a B.S. in BioMolecular Engineering and a minor in Chemistry. Her graduate research focuses on the role of amyloids in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Familial, or genetically inherited, forms of these diseases often arise from mutations in the precursor peptides that form these amyloids. However, most cases are sporadic, and amyloid deposition is identified later in life after symptom onset. While genetic testing can be used to diagnose familial disease, diagnosing sporadic forms relies on assessing the present symptoms and biomarkers, which often overlap between diseases. Using innovative biosensor cells, she hopes to discriminate between subsets of neurodegenerative diseases by identifying patterns in disease-specific amyloid properties. Expansion of these biosensor cells to include other amyloids will aid in identifying the factors that differentiate neurodegenerative diseases at the molecular level, improving the understanding of their disease mechanisms and allowing for the development of specialized therapeutics.

Mentor: Randal Halfmann, Ph.D. Associate Investigator, Stowers Institute.