Katie Ranard
​Hi there! My name is Katie, and I’m a postdoctoral fellow in the Appel lab. Merging my passions for health, food, and biochemistry, I pursued BS and PhD degrees in Nutritional Sciences at Iowa State University and University of Illinois, respectively. Under the mentorship of Dr. John Erdman for my PhD, I explored the role of vitamin E in the murine central nervous system. My work answered critical questions about our vitamin E requirements, yet it only scratched the surface of what’s needed to understand nutrition’s complex role in the brain. This realization inspired my current research question: How does maternal nutrition contribute to the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms guiding neurodevelopment? In the Appel lab, my project homes in on docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a dietary omega-3 fatty acid that is essential for brain maturation. By harnessing the zebrafish model system and powerful genetic and imaging tools, I’m investigating how DHA deficiency alters microglia and oligodendrocyte functions during neurodevelopment. Throughout my training, I’ve been afforded many opportunities to define and cultivate my own research projects. This creative latitude fuels my intellectual curiosities and keeps me excited about the scientific discoveries that are just around the corner. When I’m not in the lab, you can catch me weightlifting, walking with comedy podcasts in my ears, painting funky designs on my shoes, and watching classic films.