Natalie Eppler
Graduate Student - Zhang Lab
Professional Background
I completed my B.S. in Microbiology at the University of Kansas. My undergraduate research work, in the lab of Dr. Josephine Chandler, focused on antimicrobial resistance and the role of endogenous antimicrobial production in bacterial competition. In 2019 I entered the IGPBS program at KUMC and joined the lab of Dr. Yuxia (Lisa) Zhang in the summer of 2020.
Research
Overview
NAFLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease in the world today, and progression of this disease greatly increases patient risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and liver failure. The complex and heterogeneous etiology of NAFLD has limited therapeutic development. Therefore, identifying and understanding molecular mechanisms that drive NAFLD progression is essential to reducing NAFLD-associated mortality. RNA binding protein, human antigen R (HuR), is an essential regulator of liver function and plays important roles in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) development. Specifically, my project focuses on how decreased HuR expression dysregulates bile acid metabolism, promoting NAFLD development.