Cassie (Bishop) Markham

Cassie is a PhD candidate in the Muzumdar Lab, which she joined in 2022 after earning her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University in 2021. At CMU, she studied the effects of microbes on stress responses and development in Drosophila in the McCartney Lab. She also conducted cancer research with the Keyomarsi Lab at MD Anderson, where she analyzed transcriptomic and proteomic datasets to investigate mechanisms of CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in breast cancer. These experiences shaped her interest in how signaling networks adapt under stress and therapeutic pressure. Her current work focuses on defining non-genetic mechanisms of resistance to KRAS inhibitors in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), particularly how dysregulation of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation pathways enables tumor cells to survive KRAS-targeted therapy. Outside of the lab, Cassie enjoys reading, making candles, and exploring cafés throughout New England.