Meet Kelly O’Rourke, a trainee in the Department of Biochemistry who is studying two proteins that may work together to protect neurons in aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. She is mentored by Doug Kojetin, professor of biochemistry.
Recently, she received the 2026 PhRMA Foundation predoctoral fellowship award, which is designed to aid early-career researchers in the fields of drug discovery, drug delivery, translational medicine, and healthcare treatment evaluation.
We sat down with O’Rourke to talk about her experiences as a Ph.D. student at Vanderbilt, the mentorship and education that have shaped her journey, and what makes her unique both in and outside of the lab.
What drew you to Vanderbilt?
I was initially drawn to Vanderbilt because of the Quantitative and Chemical Biology program, which I felt perfectly fit my interest in biomedical research but also allowed me to explore different research areas during my first year. When I visited Vanderbilt for the first time, I was excited to learn about the collaborative environment and the access to specialized instrumentation and expertise through the different core facilities.
What is your current area of research and what is exciting about it?
My research focuses on studying the protein-protein interaction of two transcription factors (gene-regulating proteins) that may play a protective role over neurons in the context of aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. I have been developing a quantitative assay to look at how ligands affect this interaction, which is exciting because it can help us better understand the connection between changes in the dimerization of these proteins and how they function in neuronal cells.
How has the community at Vanderbilt supported your growth as a scientist and person?
I feel extremely supported by the student organizations. I am fortunate to be a part of the Biochemistry Postdoctoral and Student Association and the Chemical Biology Association of Students, which organize seminars to share student research and social events to encourage networking. I have received great formal feedback on my research after presenting at the Biochemistry Student Colloquium as well as informal feedback by discussing my research with my peers. I have also been on the board of CBAS for the past two years, and it has been both professionally and personally rewarding to help organize events such as the annual Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology symposium!
What are your future goals after completing your training?
After completing my Ph.D., I hope to continue working in assay development within the drug discovery field. Having completed my undergraduate degree and previously worked in Boston, I have developed a love for both the city and its vibrant biotech startup community.
What Vanderbilt facilities or resources have been most valuable during your training?
I have been working with the Vanderbilt High Throughput Screening Facility on one of my projects and it has been a blast! I have loved training on their state-of-the-art instruments and learning from their incredibly knowledgeable and talented staff.
What mentoring or training have you received that has been beneficial to your time here?
I have been fortunate to learn so much from our staff scientist, Paola Moyer. From mentoring me during my rotation to teaching me everything I know about protein purification once I joined the lab, she been instrumental to my training and development as a scientist. Beyond her mentorship, Paola is key to making our lab a supportive and fun environment.
What’s something fun, quirky, or unexpected about you that people may not know?
Whenever I travel, I love to collect pins!
What do you do for fun?
When I’m not in lab, I’m either training for a half marathon, hanging out with my dogs, or both! One of my dogs is 25 pounds and somehow still has more energy than I do after a long run. In the spring and summer, I also love gardening.
What are you reading, listening, or watching right now?
Lately, I’ve been listening to The Great Divide by Noah Kahan. I have also just started watching the Lincoln Lawyer, and I’m hooked! I love a good mystery.