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Kayleigh O'Keeffe: Ph. D. in Biology
Kayleigh O'Keeffe: Ph. D. in Biology
KAYLEIGH O’KEEFFE
Department of Biology • The University of Pennsylvania • Philadelphia PA 19104
kokeeffe@sas.upenn.edu • 516-205-8000 • krokeeffe.wordpress.com • @KOKeeffe12
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA at CHAPEL HILL 2019
Ph. D. in Biology
Dissertation: Within-host microbial interactions and plant parasites: from pairwise interactions
to the microbiome (Advisor: Charles Mitchell)
APPOINTMENTS
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Dr. Dustin Brisson) 2019-Present
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
PUBLICATIONS
O’Keeffe, K.R. and Jones, C.D. (2019) Challenges and Solutions for Analyzing Dual RNA-seq Data
for Non-Model Host/Pathogen Systems. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10:401-414
(http://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13135).
*Highlighted in the Methods in Ecology and Evolution blog:
https://methodsblog.com/2019/02/20/dual-rna-seq-limited-genomic-resources/
Hansen, W.D., Scholl, J.P., Sorensen, A.E., Fisher, K., Klassen, J., Calle, L., Kandlikar, G., Kortessis,
N., Kucera, D., Marias, D., Narango, D.L., O’Keeffe, K.R., Planas, A., Recart, W., Ridolfi, E., and
Shay. M. (2018). How do we ensure the future of our discipline is vibrant? Student reflections on
careers and culture of ecology. Ecosphere, 9(2):e02099 (http://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2099).
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O’Keeffe, K.R., Carbone, I., Jones, C.D., Mitchell, C.E. (2017). Plastic Potential: how the phenotypes
and adaptations of pathogens are influenced by microbial interactions within plants. Current Opinion
in Plant Biology 38:78-83 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2017.04.014). (I was invited).
Bowman, T.A., O’Keeffe, K.R., D’Aquila, T., Yan, Q.W., Griffin, J.D., Killion, E.A., Mashek, D.G.,
Buhman, K.K., and Greenberg, A.S. (2016). Acyl CoA synthetase 5 (ACSL5) Ablation in Mice
Increases Energy Expenditure and Insulin Sensitivity and Delays Fat Absorption. Molecular
Metabolism, 5(3) (http://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2016.01.001)
PREPRINT PUBLICATIONS
O’Keeffe, K.R., Halliday, F.W., Jones, C.D., Carbone, I., Mitchell, C.E. (2020). Parasites as niche
modifiers for the microbiome: A field test with multiple parasites. bioRxiv 2020.03.31.018713; doi:
https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03.31.018713 (in review)
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
2020: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
2020: Scripps Institution of Oceanography
2020: Duke University (Department of Biology)
2019: Bryn Mawr College (Department of Biology)
2018: UNC-Chapel Hill Biology Symposium (one of two invited graduate student speakers)
O’Keeffe, K., F.W. Halliday, C.D. Jones, I. Carbone, and C.E. Mitchell, 2019. The fungal
microbiome of a grass host under natural infections by diverse parasites. Ecology & Evolution of
Infectious Disease Conference (17th annual), Princeton University (Poster presentation)
O’Keeffe, K., B.T. Wheeler, and C.E. Mitchell, 2018. A symbiont may decrease the spread of a
parasite through a host population but not within hosts. Ecological Society of America, New Orleans
LA (Oral presentation).
O’Keeffe, K., B.T. Wheeler, and C.E. Mitchell, 2018. A defensive symbiont decreases the spread of a
fungal plant pathogen through a host population but not within hosts. Ecology & Evolution of
Infectious Diseases Conference (16th Annual), University of Glasgow (Poster presentation).
O’Keeffe, K. and C.E. Mitchell, 2017. Effects of endophyte symbiosis and pathogen intraspecific
variation on the growth of a fungal plant pathogen. Ecological Society of America, Portland OR
(Poster presentation).
O’Keeffe, K., C.E. Mitchell, C.D. Jones, 2017. Challenges for analyzing dual RNA-seq data for non-
model host/pathogen systems. Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Diseases Conference (14th Annual),
UC Santa Barbara (Poster presentation).
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O’Keeffe, K. 2016. Can we use RNA-seq to Investigate Host/Parasite Interactions? UNC Department
of Biology Lunch Bunch Series, Chapel Hill, NC (Oral Presentation).
O’Keeffe, K., C.E. Mitchell, C.D. Jones 2016. Analyzing Mixed Transcriptomic Samples of Hosts
and Pathogens: A Comparison of Reference-based Mapping Methods. Ecology and Evolution of
Infectious Disease Conference (14 Annual), Cornell University (Poster presentation)
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TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Guest Lecturer for Global Change Ecology, UNC Chapel-Hill 2020
Lecture: “Infectious Disease and Global Change” (delivered online)
Instructor for Modern Biological Concepts, Meredith College Fall 2018
Introductory non-majors course; 17 students
Guest Lecturer for Global Change Ecology, UNC Chapel-Hill 2016 & 2017
Lecture: “Infectious Disease and Global Change”
Guest Lecturer for Disease Ecology and Evolution, UNC-Chapel Hill 2016
Lectures: “Pathogens in Multi-Species Host Communities”
“Multi-Parasite Systems”
Guest Lecturer for Ecology and Evolution, UNC-Chapel Hill 2015
Lecture: “Population Growth”
Teaching Assistant for Ecology and Evolution, UNC-Chapel Hill 2015
Teaching Assistant for Evolutionary Biology, Amherst College 2011
MENTORING EXPERIENCE
Emma Torija, Independent Study Student, University of Pennsylvania 2020-Present
William Manley, Independent Study Student, University of Pennsylvania 2019-Present
Bonnie Mendelson, Master’s student, University of Pennsylvania 2019-Present
Brandon Wheeler, Independent Study Student, UNC-Chapel Hill 2017-2019
2019-Onward: Plant Conservation Intern, NC Botanical Garden
Anita Simha, Honors Thesis Student, UNC-Chapel Hill 2016-2017
2019-Onward: NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Duke University
Graduated with highest honors
Recipient of R.E. Coker Award for excellence in research in organismal biology and ecology
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SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Organizing Committee Chair, ComSciCon-Triangle 2017 & 2018
Triangle-wide science communication workshop for graduate students, Research Triangle, NC
Organizing Committee, ComSciCon-Triangle 2016
Selected Participant, ComSciCon-National 2016
National science communication workshop for graduate students, Cambridge, MA
Science Writing Intern, Genetics Society of America 2015
Selected Participant, ComSciCon-Triangle 2015