Abby Kaur’s passion for science took root in the lab, where she explored the biophysical properties of cells and uncovered how disruptions at the molecular level can impact whole-organism health. She earned her degree in Biotechnology with an emphasis in Bioinformatics from UC Davis, where she worked closely with Dr. Daniel Starr and Dr. G.W. Gant Luxton to study the LINC complex—a protein structure that connects the cell’s nucleus to its cytoskeleton.
Her undergraduate research focused on how mutations in LINC complex proteins like ANC-1 affect cellular crowding and confinement in C. elegans, a model organism. Kaur developed skills in in vivo nano rheology and image-based data analysis and eventually led an independent project investigating these mechanisms within muscle cells. Her work earned her a Provost Undergraduate Fellowship Grant and a spot on the Dean’s List, and she presented her findings at the 2024 Bay Area Worm Meeting. She is also a co-author on a 2025 preprint exploring how giant KASH proteins and ribosomes contribute to cellular biophysical properties.
Drawn to the intersection of computational biology and medicine, Kaur joined the Applied Biomedical Data Sciences program at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences to continue developing the skills that will allow her to turn complex biological data into actionable insights. She is particularly excited about applying data science to therapeutic advancements for childhood diseases—and being part of the program’s founding cohort. For Kaur, St. Jude offers not only a world-class research environment but also a chance to help shape a new generation of data-driven biomedical discovery.
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Education:
2024 - BS, Biotechnology (emphasis on Bioinformatics) – UC Davis
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2024 - Provost Undergraduate Fellowship Grant
2023 - Dean's List
Publications:
Ding, X., Hao, H., Elnatan, D., Alinaya, P. N., Kalra, S., Kaur, A., Kumari, S., Holt, L. J., Luxton, G. W. G., & Starr, D. A. (2025). Giant KASH proteins and ribosomes synergistically establish cytoplasmic biophysical properties in vivo. bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2025.01.10.632479. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.10.632479