![](https://cdn.vanderbilt.edu/vu-web/medschool-wpcontent/sites/24/2018/08/25031053/KristinKwakawa.jpg)
Kristin Kwakwa
University of Illinois
Julie Sterling lab
Kristin's thesis work involves the use of 3D tissue-engineered bone constructs to investigate the effects of the physical bone microenvironment on metastatic tumors as well as novel therapeutics for the treatment of tumor-induced bone disease. She is also investigating how the transcription factor Gli2, which is overexpressed in tumors that metastasize to bone, regulates integrin beta 3 and mechanical signaling.