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Background and Research Interests
Kalina started her PhD in Pharmacology in August 2023 through Duke’s Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, joining the Donnelly Lab in March 2024. As part of the Donnelly Lab, Kalina is interested in neuron-immune interactions in oral cancer and how they contribute to chronic pain and cancer prognosis. Specifically, she is investigating how catecholamines, an important class of neurotransmitters in regulating stress response, can modulate immune response and contribute to disease.
Before starting her PhD program, Kalina was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she double-majored in Genetics and Life Sciences Communication. During her undergraduate education, Kalina had multidisciplinary experiences in research ranging from bioinformatics-based genetics research to wet-lab experiences studying metabolism and cardiovascular regeneration. Ultimately, Kalina was driven to purist a degree in pharmacology because of her passion for translational research.
Outside of lab, Kalina is pursuing a certificate in Innovational and Entrepreneurship through Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and is involved in many student groups such as the Graduate and Professional Student Government, Duke’s Medical Science Liaison Club and Duke’s Advance Degree Consulting Club. In her free time, Kalina loves traveling, spending time in the great outdoors, and is currently pursuing her SCUBA certification through the Carolina Dive Center.