Sarah Carter

Sarah received her B.A. in Biology from the College of the Holy Cross in 2024 and is a first-generation college graduate passionate about mentorship and science education. She is now a second-year PhD student in the lab of Dr. Jennifer Landino, where she uses biochemical and cell biology approaches to study active Rho and cortical F-actin dynamics in vitro and in Xenopus laevis cells. Broadly, she is interested in how cortical proteins organize and interact to generate the spatial patterns required for successful cytokinesis, and she hopes that live-cell imaging of dividing cells will help to elucidate this process. She is also interested in using optogenetic tools to modulate the timing of RhoA signaling in an artificial cell cortex and in cells, and in determining whether these perturbations can reveal how cortical patterns contribute to successful cell division. Outside of the lab, she enjoys working out at the gym, spending time at the beach over the summer, and seeing friends whenever possible.