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