Caitlin Kowalski, PhD

Principal Investigator, CV

she/her, Email

Caitlin received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Dartmouth in 2020 working in Robert Cramer’s lab. She then did her postdoc in Matt Barber’s lab at the University of Oregon where she was supported by the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation. Caitlin loves the outdoors and can be found camping, running, or hiking. More Here.

Nicole Wiencek-Kordana, PhD

Postdoc

Nicole received her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Dartmouth College in 2026 where she studied fungal pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus in Dr. Robert Cramer’s lab. During her postdoctoral research, she is excited to continue studying fungus by investigating the role of Malassezia spp. in the skin mycobiome in the context of health and disease.

Sylvia Khalil

Lab Research Coordinator

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Sylvia obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Oregon, where she worked under the mentorship of Caitlin Kowalski in the Barber lab. She is excited to continue supporting Caitlin at Dartmouth, studying how intermicrobial interactions are shaped by lipid-rich environments. Outside of lab, Sylvia can be found knitting, painting, and exploring the reaches of the Upper Valley.

Thyandra Martinez

MCB PhD Student

Thyandra earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Hartford in 2023. Post graduation, she worked in a hospital laboratory in the chemistry and special hematology departments handling patient samples and performing requested testing. She then completed a year-long post-baccalaureate research program at Vanderbilt University in 2025 and joined Dartmouth’s MCB PhD Graduate program. She is excited to investigate the sensitization of MRSA to microbial-derived lipid compounds and polypeptide antibiotics. During her free time she enjoys watching anime, shopping and calisthenics.

Hannah Kim

Dartmouth Geisel Medical Student

Hannah is an M2 at Geisel School of Medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree in English with a minor in Korean at UCLA, and completed an M.S. in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University. She is passionate about patient advocacy and the personal meaning patients ascribe to illness, drawing her to pediatric dermatology as a visual, longitudinal field. Her scientific interests center on interactions between environmental modulators and the immune system, particularly how the skin microbiome shapes inflammation, immune surveillance, and progression of dermatologic conditions. Outside of medicine, Hannah enjoys walking, bouldering, writing, and experimenting with new recipes.

Anna Noroian

Dartmouth Undergraduate ’29

Anna is an undergraduate student (‘29) at Dartmouth College. She is interested in medicine and research, and is very excited about the opportunity to join the Kowalski Lab. Outside of class and the lab, Anna enjoys singing, listening to music, working out, and spending time with friends and family.

Paul Letson

Dartmouth Undergraduate ’28

Paul is a 3rd year undergraduate at Dartmouth College. He is currently a Japanese language and Asian studies major through the ASCL department and plans to continue on the pre-health track with the goal of applying to medical school. His interest in this lab is informed by a desire to learn more about the underlying efforts that lead to medical treatments, as well as an interest in the scientific process separate from what may be included in STEM class curriculums. Outside of school or the lab, Paul spends much of his time whitewater kayaking, skiing, working out, or enjoying Dartmouth’s vibrant music scene.

Laika

Lab Mascot

Laika loves nothing more than to play frisbee and spend time outside!

Interested in joining?

See the open positions and contact Caitlin by email if you have questions!