Margaret Pruitt

Professional Background

Residency: Internal Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., June 2019 - Present.

My graduate research was completed under the mentorship of Peter Baumann, Ph.D. at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, where I applied a prospective evolution approach to study telomeres and telomerase. My research has yielded key insight into how the RNA subunit of the telomerase holoenzyme affects enzymatic activity and telomere function in the fission yeast model system, Schizosaccharomyces pombe.  This research provides a necessary foundation for the innovation of telomerase inhibitors and telomere destabilizers in anti-cancer treatment.   

Both, the University of Kansas Medical Center and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have vibrant cultures for early-career Academics.  A few of my favorite initiatives have been serving on the MD-PhD Student Council, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), the Stowers Crossroads Postdoc and Student Association, and the KUSOM Jaydoc Free Clinic.  Attending school in the heart of Kansas City has also meant going to outdoor art and food festivals and exhibits in Union Station and the Nelson Atkins Museum. Please don't hesitate to contact me. I am happy to chat about the Program, MD-PhD training, or other considerations you may have.

Mentor: Peter Baumann, Ph.D., Stowers Institute for Medical Research- University of Kansas Medical Center Molecular & Integrative Physiology.