Dr. Kaitlin M. Dailey

Kaitlin M. Dailey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Faculty Scholar, Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (RI-INBRE)

College of Pharmacy
University of Rhode Island

Kingston, RI

(Incoming, August 2025)

Growing up in a low income, rural Kansas farming community, access to the scientific world around me was often limited. After reading a teacher’s college textbook on genetics, I was instantly enthralled. Since that formative experience, I have been relentlessly in pursuit of a career in scientific research.

During my doctoral studies, I became fascinated with the many advantages oncolytic, or naturally cancer destroying, bacteria have over traditional therapeutics. I leveraged my training in engineering biology, pharmaceutical sciences, microbiology, cancer biology, and immunology to pioneer a groundbreaking CRISPR/Cas9-mediated platform capable of stable, constitutive modification of Clostridium novyi-NT surface presentation and metabolism as well as an in vitro and in vivo characterization pipeline.

My lab's current efforts characterize C. novyi-NT as an intravenously delivered pancreatic cancer therapeutic able to target primary and metastatic tumors, with the potential for efficacy against a broad spectrum of solid tumors as well as for health applications during long duration space travel.

Previous Academic Appointments

Research Instructor, Junior Faculty, Primary Investigator 2022-2025

Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases

University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Postdoctoral Research Associate 2020-2022

Joint Appointment in labs of Michael A. (Tony) Hollingsworth and Kenneth W. Bayles

Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases

University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Science Instructor of Record 2019-2020

Veterans Education Training Program

North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant 2013-2020

Cell and Molecular Biology Program

Pharmaceutical Sciences Department

Laboratory of Amanda E. Brooks, PhD

North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Assistant Officer 2012-2013

Office of Chemical Safety and Hygiene

North Park University, Chicago, IL

Education

Postdoctoral Research Associate, Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and 2020-2022

Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Microbiology, Cancer Biology, Cancer Immunology

Ph.D., North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 2013-2020

Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetic Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences

B.S., Biology, North Park University, Chicago, IL 2009-2013

Biology, Chemistry

Honors and Awards

National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center to Reduce Cancer Health 2025

Disparities Early Investigator Advancement Program, Invited Associate Member

American Chemical Society Synthetic Biology, Thought Leader Award 2024

National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center to Reduce Cancer Health 2024

Disparities Early Investigator Advancement Program, Invited Associate Member

National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Early Career Reviewer 2024

Buffett Cancer Center Nominee for Mass General Krantz Family Center Cancer Research 2024

Rising Star Award

Buffett Cancer Center Training Navigator Conference Attendance Scholarship, SynBYSS 2024

Center for Heart and Vascular Research Program (CHVR) Vascular Research 2024

Program Travel Award

Engineering Biology Research Consortium Travel Scholarship, 2024

EBRC Roadmap Workshop and Annual Meeting (Selected Speaker) 2024

Buffett Cancer Center Training Navigator Professional Development Scholarship, 2024

AiCHE and AACR Memberships

Buffett Cancer Center Training Navigator Travel Scholarship, 2024

AiCHe Synthetic Biology: Engineering, Evolution & Design (SEED) 2024

Buffett Cancer Center Training Navigator Travel Scholarship, 2023

EBRC Roadmap Workshop and Annual Meeting 2024

Buffett Cancer Center Training Navigator Professional Development Scholarship, 2023

‘The Grant Funding Formula’ Course, Sarah Dobson & Co. (virtual)

Publication Funding Award, Geographical Management of Cancer Health Disparities 2023

Program (GMaP) Region 3, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Publication Funding Award, Rocky Vista University Office of Research and Scholarly 2023

Activity, Received at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Travel Award, GMaP Region 3 to the Engineering Biology Research Consortium 2023

Annual Meeting, Received at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Travel Award, GMaP Region 3 to the GMaP3 Technical Training Summit 2023

Received at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Publication Funding Award, Rocky Vista University Office of Research and Scholarly 2022

Activity, Received at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Travel Award, GMaP Region 3 to Cold Spring Harbor CRISPR Frontiers Meeting 2022

Received at University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE

Engineering Biology Research Consortium, Synthetic Biology Young Speakers 2021

Seminar Series Selected Invitee, Virtual Presentation, Omaha, NE

Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, College of Interdisciplinary Studies, North Dakota 2021

State University Fargo, ND

Travel Award, NDSU Graduate School, for virtual attendance of Cold Spring Harbor 2021

Genomic Engineering Meeting, Received at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Travel Award, NDSU Graduate School, for virtual attendance of Cold Spring Harbor 2021

Microbiome Meeting, Received at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Award and Scholarship for Excellence in Research, National Cancer Federation, 2013

North Park University, Chicago, IL

Regional Excellence in Leadership Award and Scholarship, Tri-Beta Honors Fraternity 2013

North Park University, Chicago, IL

Cum laude, North Park University, Chicago, IL 2013

Key Leadership Award, National 4-H Organization, Goal-Getters 4-H Club 2009

Kaitlin M. Dailey, Ph.D.Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Faculty Scholar, Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (RI-INBRE)

College of PharmacyUniversity of Rhode Island

Previous Academic Appointments

Education

Honors and Awards

Kaitlin M. Dailey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

College of Pharmacy
University of Rhode Island