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Appler, Kathyrn
No

Kathryn Appler

GRA Fall 2024 Supplement, Graduate Student Fellow
Department of Integrative Biology, Department of Marine Science


Ph.D. candidate in the Baker Marine Microbial Ecology Lab

EDUCATION

2017, B.A., Biology and Sociology, Coe College

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

2019-present: Graduate Research Assistant, Marine Science, Uni. of Texas Austin, Marine Science Institute

2022: Visiting Researcher, Evolution of the Microbial Cell, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

2019: Research Technician, Eider Laboratory, Alaska SeaLife Center

2018-2019: Fellow/Interpreter, Chiswell Project, Alaska SeaLife Center

2017: Intern, Pinniped Cognition and Sensory Systems Lab, Long Marine Laboratory, Uni. of California Santa Cruz

2015-2017: Research Student, Biology Department, Coe College

Appler, K.E., J.P. Lingford, X. Gong, K. Panagiotou, P. Leão, M. Langwig, C. Greening, T.J.G. Ettema, V. De Anda, and B.J. Baker. 2024. Oxygen metabolism in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor. bioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.04.601786.

Köstlbacher, S., J.J.E. van Hoof, K. Panagioutou, D. Tamarit, V. De Anda, K.E. Appler, B.J. Baker, and T.J.G. Ettema. 2024. Structure-based inference of eukaryotic complexity in Asgard archaea. bioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.03.601958.

Valentin-Alvarado, L.E, L-D. Shi, K.E. Appler, A. Crits-Christoph, M. Cui, V. De Anda, P. Leão, B.A. Alder, R.J. Roberts, R. Sachdeva, B.J. Baker, D.F. Savage, J.F. Banfield. 2024. Genetic elements and defense systems drive diversification and evolution in Asgard archaea. bioRxiv: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.03.22.586370. 

Valentin-Alvarado, L.E* and Appler, K.E*, V. De Anda, M.C. Schoelmerich, J. West-Robers, V. Kivenson, A. Crits-Christoph, L. Ly, R Sachddeva, D.F. Savage, B.J. Baker, J.F. Banfield. 2024. Asgard archaea modulate potential methanogenesis substrates in wetland soil. Nature Communications 15, 6384. *Co-first Authors 

Leão, P., M.E. Little, K.E. Appler, D. Sahaya, E. Aguilar-Pine, K. Currie, I.J. Finkelstein, V. De Anda, B.J. Baker. 2024. Asgard archaea defense systems and their roles in the origin of eukaryotic immunity. Nature Communications 15, 6386.

Tamarit, D.* and Köstlbacher, S.*, K.E. Appler, K. Panagiotou, V. De Anda, C. Rinke, B.J. Baker, and T.J.G. Ettema. 2024. Description of Asgardarchaeum abyssi gen. nov. spec. nov., a novel species within the class Asgardarchaeia and phylum Asgardarchaeota in accordance with the SeqCode. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 47(4):125625.

Baker, B.J., K.E. Appler, X. Gong. (2021) New microbial biodiversity in marine sediments. Annual Review of Marine Science. 13(1), 161-175.

See ORCID.

2024, International Symposium on Microbial Ecology Early Career Researcher Poster Award

2024, MSI Endowed Graduate Fellowship, University of Texas Marine Science Institute

2024, International Society of Microbial Ecology Travel Award, International Society of Microbial Ecology

2023, Eugene and Millicent Goldschmidt Graduate Student Award, Texas American Society of Microbiology

2023, David Bruton, Jr. Endowed Graduate Fellowship, University Graduate Continuing Fellowship, University of Texas at Austin

2022, Stengl-Wyer Graduate Fellowship 

2022, STEM Chateaubriand Fellowship, Embassy of France in the United States

2021, E.J. Lund Scholarship Founders Fellowship for Graduate Students of Exceptional Merit, University of Texas Marine Science Institute

2021, Outstanding Student Poster Award, World Microbe Forum

2021, Professional Development Award, University of Texas Graduate School

2021, Summer Only Fellowship, University of Texas Office of Graduate Studies

2017, DeJong Biology Research Award (Outstanding Honors Research in biology), Coe College

2017, Outstanding Achievement in Biology, Coe College Women in STEM

2017, E.E. Ericson Award in Sociology (Outstanding work in Sociology), Coe College

2017, Courtney Award Outstanding Scholar-Athlete, Coe College

2017, Alpha Lambda Delta Maria Leonard Senior Book Award, Coe College

2016, American Society of Microbiology Undergraduate Research Fellowship, American Society of Microbiology 

Appler, K.E.,  J. Lingford, X. Gong, K. Panagioutou, P. Leão, M. Langwig, C. Greening, T. Ettema, V. De Anda, B.J. Baker. August 2024. Aerobic lifestyle in descendants of the archaeal-eukaryotic ancestor. 19th International Society of Microbial Ecology Conference (contributed, poster presentation, Early Career Researcher Poster Award) Cape Town, South Africa. 

Appler, K.E. March 2024. Revealing the mysteries of eukaryogenesis using a novel branch from the tree of life. Texas Branch American Society of Microbiology Spring Meeting (invited, speaker) Cedar Hill, TX.

Appler, K.E., V. De Anda, P. Leão, X. Gong, M. Langwig, T. Ettema, B.J. Baker. January 2024. Hodarchaeales and the origin of complex life. Gordon Research Conference Interactions Between the Biosphere and Lithosphere Across Geological Time and Space, Gordon Research Conference (poster presentation) Galveston, TX.

Appler, K.E., L.E. Valentin-Alvarado, P. Leão, N. Taib, V. De Anda, M., Langwig, X. Gong, S. Gribaldo, J.F. Banfield, B.J. Baker. July 2023. Environmental distribution and eukaryotic-like systems within Asgard archaea. Gordon Research Conference Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology (contributed, oral and poster presentation) West Dover, VT.

Appler, K.E., L.E. Valentin-Alvarado, P. Leão, N. Taib, V. De Anda, M., Langwig, X. Gong, S. Gribaldo, J.F. Banfield, B.J. Baker. July 2023. Environmental distribution and eukaryotic-like systems within Asgard archaea. Gordon Research Seminar Archaea: Ecology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology (contributed, discussion leader and poster presentation) West Dover, VT.

Appler, K.E., L.E. Valentin-Alvarado, P. Leão, V. De Anda, M., Langwig, X. Gong, J.F. Banfield, B.J. Baker. June 2023. Large Scale Metabolic Analysis of Asgard Archaea Genomic Diversity Across Environments. American Society of Microbiology Conference (contributed, rapid-fire talk and poster presentation) Houston, TX.

Appler, K.E., N. Taib, B.J. Baker, S. Gribaldo. November 2022. Asgard archaea cell division at the crossroad between prokaryotic and eukaryotic life. Junior Micro Day Institut Pasteur (contributed, poster presentation) Paris, France.

Appler, K.E. October 2022. Utilizing expanded Asgard archaea genomic diversity as a blueprint for archaeal host cellular complexity and syntrophic interactions. EBMC Days (invited, oral presentation) Paris, France.

Appler, K.E., P. Leão, L.E. Valentin-Alvarado, V. De Anda, D. Tamarit, X. Gong, J.F. Banfield, T. Ettema, B.J. Baker. August 2022. Revealing environmental patterns of Asgard archaea genomic diversity. 18th International Society of Microbial Ecology (contributed, oral presentation) Lausanne, Switzerland.

Appler, K. E., P. Leão, V. De Anda, L. Valentin-Alvarado, X. Gong, X. Dong, C. R. J. Hubert, J. Banfield, B. J. Baker. October 2021. Expansion of Asgard archaea genomic diversity from multiple environments. Moore-Simons Project on the Origin of the Eukaryotic Cell (contributed, poster presentation) Virtual

Appler, K. E., V. De Anda, K. W. Seitz, P. Leão, X. Gong, X. Dong, C. R. J. Hubert, B. J. Baker. June 2021. Unearthing five novel Asgard archaea phyla from marine sediments. World Microbe Forum (contributed, poster presentation, Outstanding Student Poster Award) Virtual

Appler, K.E. May 2019. Microbiology at the Alaska SeaLife Center. Alaska SeaLife Center Interpretation Training (invited, presentation) Seward, AK

Appler, K.E., S.E. Berns, L.L. McCarter, M.R. Leonardo. June 2017. Impact on Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilm formation and architecture when grown in co-culture with various Shewanella species. American Society of Microbiology Conference (contributed, poster talk and poster presentation) New Orleans, LA

Appler, K.E., S.E. Berns, L.L. McCarter, M.R. Leonardo. April 2017. Impact on Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilm formation and architecture when grown in co-culture with various Shewanella species. American Society of Microbiology Conference. Coe College (contributed, thesis defense) Cedar Rapids, IA

Appler, K.E., S.E. Berns, L.L. McCarter, M.R. Leonardo. April 2017. Impact on Vibrio parahaemolyticus biofilm formation and architecture when grown in co-culture with various Shewanella species. American Society of Microbiology Conference. Coe College Student Research Symposium (contributed, oral) Cedar Rapids, IA 

Appler, K.E., S.E. Berns, L.L. McCarter, M.R. Leonardo. April 2016. Impact of Extracted ScrABC on Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Shewanella strain’s Biofilm Architecture. Coe College Student Research Symposium (contributed, poster) Cedar Rapids, IA

Biodiversity

Ecology

Evolution

Marine Science

Marine Science Institute