Associate Director, Division of Developmental Biology
Director, Molecular & Developmental Biology Graduate Program
Member, Division of Plastic Surgery
Professor, UC Department of Pediatrics

I am a professor in the Divisions of Developmental Biology and Plastic Surgery at Cincinnati Children's, within the UC Department of Pediatrics. I received my Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. I then obtained my PhD in Genetics from George Washington University in Washington, DC, where I studied cranial sensory placode development in Xenopus laevis. I completed my postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, focusing on craniofacial development. While at Stanford, I received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (F32), a Pediatric Research Fund-Child Health Research Program Grant, and an NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00). I joined Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in January 2011 to study craniofacial development and disease.

Kari Brown, Research Assistant IV

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Thomas More University in 1999. I joined the Brugmann Lab as a Research Assistant IV in 2019. Before joining the lab, I worked in Internal Medicine/Pulmonary at the University of Cincinnati for 15 years, studying the molecular pharmacology of polymorphic adrenergic receptors in cardiovascular disease. In 2014, I joined the Neonatology and Pulmonary Biology division at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where I focused on lung development and disease. My current research interests include the role of primary cilia in craniofacial development and disease. I use murine and hIPSC models to study the molecular mechanisms and genetic causes of craniofacial disorders. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy living the country life with my family, spending time with my dogs, and watching my girls play sports.

Postdoctoral Fellow

I received my PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where I studied the role of primary cilia in cartilage development in Dr. Rosa Serra’s lab. After joining Dr. Brugmann’s lab, I continued my research on the role of primary cilia, focusing on craniofacial development. I have been using murine, avian, and human iPSCs as models to study the etiology of ciliopathies.

Research Assistant II

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Miami University (Oxford) in 2021 and then started working at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Before joining the Brugmann Lab in December 2023, I worked in the Division of Veterinary Services and later transitioned to a research assistant role under the supervision of Raphael Kopan. I manage several transgenic murine lines that feature Hedgehog and ciliary variants, while also assisting lab members with their experiments. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading and taking care of my animals and houseplants.

Student

I am an MD/PhD student in the Molecular and Developmental Biology PhD Program at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. I received my B.S. in Biochemistry with a minor in German Studies from the University of Michigan in 2016, where I studied signaling mechanisms of the spindle assembly checkpoint in budding yeast. I joined the Brugmann Lab in 2021 to study the genomic profiles of developing multipotent neural crest cells. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy going to the gym, eating good food, and watching reality TV—Survivor is my favorite.

Student

I study the role of the centriolar protein C2CD3 in craniofacial development and disease. I use induced pluripotent stem cells and avian model systems to determine how different Oral-facial-digital Syndrome type 14-causing variants impact skeletal development within the craniofacial complex.

Student

I am a graduate student in the Development, Stem Cells, and Regenerative Medicine PhD program at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. I received my BS in biology from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019, where I used microfluidic devices to study neutrophil and platelet interactions. I joined the Brugmann Lab in 2024, where I utilize avian and induced pluripotent stem cell model systems to determine how variants in splicing machinery impact the patterning and development of the craniofacial complex. When I'm not in the lab, I enjoy baking, exploring the outdoors, and going to the zoo!

Research Associate

I received my PhD in Human Genetics and Cell Biology in 2018 from the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil, where I gained experience in DNA sequencing while investigating the genetic basis of familial brain calcification. During my postdoctoral work at São Paulo University in Brazil, I applied CRISPR and other gene-editing tools to develop knockout and transgenic porcine cell lines for use in xenotransplantation in humans. Since 2023, I have been a research associate in Dr. Brugmann’s laboratory, where I am interested in understanding how mutations in ciliary genes impair cilia formation and lead to human ciliopathies. I investigate the whole genome of patients with craniofacial malformations and model disease-related mutations in vitro using hiPSCs. Additionally, I use murine models to explore how the lack of cilia impacts crucial signaling pathways during embryo development.

Senior Research Assistant

I obtained my MD at Shanxi Medical University and later an MS at Nanjing Medical University, both in China. I joined Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 2010. Before working in Dr. Brugmann’s lab in 2018, I worked in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, where I used mouse models of infection and allergy to understand immuno-regulatory mechanisms. Now, as a senior research assistant in Dr. Brugmann’s lab, I manage the lab and mouse colonies, and primarily use mouse models and neural crest cell cultures to study the role of primary cilia in ciliopathies.