Biography
Dr. Morgan received her Ph.D. in Genetics and Developmental Biology in 2002 from West Virginia University. She completed her post-doctoral training in Radiation Biology under the mentorship of Dr. Ted Lawrence at the University of Michigan during which she developed CHK1 inhibitors as chemoradiation sensitizers. Dr. Morgan is an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan and in 2020 was appointed the Lawrence-Krause Research Professor and Associate Chair of Radiation and Cancer Biology. Dr. Morgan has direct experience in successful translation of her preclinical laboratory research to clinical trials in pancreatic cancer patients. Dr. Morgan runs an NIH-funded laboratory and trains undergraduate, medical and graduate students, as well as post-doctoral and medical fellows.
Research Interests
Dr. Morgan leads a laboratory focused on improving standard radiation and chemoradiation therapies through the use of experimental therapeutics targeting the DNA damage response. In addition, Dr. Morgan’s research includes the use of tumor radiation sensitizers as a strategy to improve both local and systemic anti-tumor immune responses. Her research program prioritizes pre-clinical research with strong clinical/translational relevance with an emphasis on pancreatic cancer.
Research Opportunities for Rotating Students
Projects related to enhancing radiation-mediated anti-tumor immune responses