Catherine Callahan is a cancer biologist with a passion for uncovering the genetic mechanisms that drive tumor development and progression. As a doctoral student in the Biomedical Sciences PhD program at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, she is focused on advancing translational research that directly informs therapeutic discovery.
Callahan earned her bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Michigan, where her research centered on understanding how mutations in PP2A Aα contribute to the development of high-grade uterine cancers. Her work also explored the therapeutic modulation of this protein using targeted small molecules—an experience that solidified her interest in bench-to-bedside cancer research.
Her contributions to the field are reflected in co-authored publications in Cancer Research and Nature Communications, with research spanning molecular oncology, therapeutic resistance, and phosphatase signaling networks. Through her doctoral training at St. Jude, Callahan aims to further investigate the genetic drivers of cancer and develop strategies to disrupt these pathways in pediatric malignancies.
Drawn to St. Jude by its world-class research environment and mission-driven approach to science, Callahan is motivated by the opportunity to produce meaningful discoveries that improve patient care. She is excited to contribute to a collaborative community of researchers dedicated to advancing the future of pediatric oncology.
Hometown: Medfield, MA
Education:
2024 -BS, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology – University of Michigan
Publications:
Haanen TJ, Boock S, Callahan CG, Peris I, Zawacki KP, Raines B, Nino CA, Tran B, Harold A, Hodges Onishi G, Hinderman M, Dowdican A, Huang W, Taylor DJ, Taylor SE, Jackson MW, DiFeo A, O’Connor CM, Narla G. (2024) Mutant PP2A Induces IGFBP2 Secretion to Promote Development of High-Grade Uterine Cancer. Cancer Res. 2024 Nov 12. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-1263.
Rasool, R.u., O’Connor, C.M., Das, C.K., Alhusayan, M., Verma B.K., Islam, S., Frohner, I.E., Deng, Q., Mitchell-Velasquez, E., Jaya, S., Ahmed, A., Linauer, S., Mudrak, I., Rainey, J., Zawacki, K.P., Suhan, T.K., Callahan, C., Rebernick, R., Natesan, R., Siddiqui, J., Sauter, G., Thomas, D., Wang, S., Taylor, D.J., Simon, R., Cieslik, M., Chinnaiyan, A.M., Busino, L., Ogris, E., Narla, G. &. Asangani, I.A., Loss of LCMT1 and biased protein phosphatase 2A heterotrimerization drive prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance. Nat Commun 14, 5253 (2023).