Kathryn Flinn, Ph.D. Candidate
I attended the University of California, Davis, and received a B.S. in Global Disease Biology in 2021. One of my projects aims to determine the role of Outer Surface Protein C (OspC), which is a protein on Borreliella burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. The OspC protein is essential for establishing infection, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. We are using allelic exchange mutagenesis to determine what portions of potential ligand binding domains of OspC are responsible for infection, dissemination, and immune interactions. My secondary project is focused on Powassan Virus, an emerging tick-borne disease that is able to transmit from tick to host in 15 minutes and has a mortality rate of 15%. We are working on creating a diagnostic assay and actively screening multiple species of wildlife samples for the presence of Powassan Virus.