header-logo
MSTP students in the Sahoo lab
Medical Scientist Training Program
Karina Bursch

Karina Bursch

G4 Student

Faculty Advisor

  • Brian Smith, PhD, Biochemistry

Locations

  • Medical Scientist Training Program

Contact Information

Education

BS, Biochemistry, The Catholic University of America, 2019

Research Interests

Cancer Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry

Research Experience

Medical College of Wisconsin, 2021-present
Advisor: Brian Smith, PhD
Project: PBRM1 bromodomain missense mutations in ccRCC vascular signaling (F30CA278386)

The Catholic University of America, January 2017- May 2019
Advisor: Byung Min (Justin) Chung, PhD
Project: Elucidating the role of Keratin 19 (K19) in the proliferation and migration of MCF7 breast cancer cells.

MD Anderson Cancer Center, June 2018-August 2018
Advisor: Powel Brown, MD, PhD
Project: Determining the effect of the rexinoid IRX 4204 on the proliferation of a panel of breast cancer cell lines.

University of Minnesota, June 2017-August 2017
Advisor: Gregory Vercellotti, MD, FACP
Project: Characterizing the heme binding site on the MD-2/TLR4 transmembrane protein complex.

Publications

Bursch KL, Goetz CJ, Smith BC. Current Trends in Sirtuin Activator and Inhibitor Development. Molecules. 2024 Mar 6;29(5):1185. doi: 10.3390/molecules29051185. PMID: 38474697; PMCID: PMC10934002.

Bursch KL, Goetz CJ, Jiao G, Nuñez R, Olp MD, Dhiman A, Khurana M, Zimmermann MT, Urrutia RA, Dykhuizen EC, Smith BC. Cancer-associated polybromo-1 bromodomain 4 missense variants variably impact bromodomain ligand binding and cell growth suppression. J Biol Chem. 2024 Apr;300(4):107146. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107146. Epub 2024 Mar 7. PMID: 38460939; PMCID: PMC11002309.

Bursch KL, Olp MD, Smith BC. Analysis of continuous enzyme kinetic data using ICEKAT. Methods Enzymol. 2023;690:109-129. doi: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.06.019. Epub 2023 Jul 29. PMID: 37858527; PMCID: PMC10691744.

Shishodia S, Nuñez R, Strohmier BP, Bursch KL, Goetz CJ, Olp MD, Jensen DR, Fenske TG, Ordonez-Rubiano SC, Blau ME, Roach MK, Peterson FC, Volkman BF, Dykhuizen EC, Smith BC. Selective and Cell-Active PBRM1 Bromodomain Inhibitors Discovered through NMR Fragment Screening. J Med Chem. 2022 Oct 27;65(20):13714-13735. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00864. Epub 2022 Oct 13. PMID: 36227159; PMCID: PMC9630929.

Khan M, Roddy JT, Hernandez JR, Bursch K, Bal N, Carlson KS, Bergl PA. Revisiting biochemistry: severe euglycemic ketoacidosis in the setting of IDH-inhibitor therapy for AML. Br J Haematol. 2021 Sep;194(6):1083-1085. doi: 10.1111/bjh.17576. Epub 2021 Jun 7. PMID: 34101165.

Alsharif S, Sharma P, Bursch K, Milliken R, Lam V, Fallatah A, Phan T, Collins M, Dohlman P, Tiufekchiev S, Nehmetallah G, Raub CB, Chung BM. Keratin 19 maintains E-cadherin localization at the cell surface and stabilizes cell-cell adhesion of MCF7 cells. Cell Adh Migr. 2021 Dec;15(1):1-17. doi: 10.1080/19336918.2020.1868694. PMID: 33393839; PMCID: PMC7801129.

Sharma P, Alsharif S, Bursch K, Parvathaneni S, Anastasakis DG, Chahine J, Fallatah A, Nicolas K, Sharma S, Hafner M, Kallakury B, Chung BM. Keratin 19 regulates cell cycle pathway and sensitivity of breast cancer cells to CDK inhibitors. Sci Rep. 2019 Oct 10;9(1):14650. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-51195-9. PMID: 31601969; PMCID: PMC6787034. 

Meeting Abstracts

Bursch KL, Jorge SD, Licklider J, Urrutia RA, and Smith BC. Polybromo-1 bromodomain missense variants associated with clear cell renal cell carcinoma exhibit variable biochemical fitness. Abstract for a poster presentation at the FASEB Biology of Acetylation in Health and Disease conference, Rome, Italy. August 2024. [Poster]

Bursch KL, Jorge SD, Licklider J, Urrutia RA, and Smith BC. Polybromo-1 bromodomain missense variants associated with clear cell renal cell carcinoma exhibit variable biochemical fitness. 39th Annual MD-PhD National Student Conference, Breckenridge, CO. July 2024. [Oral]

Bursch KL, Jorge SD, Licklider J, Urrutia RA, and Smith BC. Polybromo-1 bromodomain missense variants associated with clear cell renal cell carcinoma exhibit variable biochemical fitness. Van Andel Institute Epigenetics Symposium, Grand Rapids, MI. July 2024. [Oral]

Bursch K, Goetz C, Nuñez R, Jiao G, Olp M, Jorge S, Urrutia R, Dykhuizen E, Smith B. Cancer-associated missense mutations in the tumor suppressor Polybromo-1 variably affect protein stability and function. Annual American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) conference, Seattle, WA. March 2023. [Poster]

Bursch KL and Smith BC. Cancer-associated missense mutations in the tumor suppressor Polybromo-1 variably affect protein stability and function. 2023 MCW Cancer Center Scientific Retreat, Milwaukee, WI. May 2023. [Oral and Poster] 

General Interests

Playing cello and piano, traveling, running, and baking

© 2025 Medical College of Wisconsin.  All rights reserved.  | Terms and Privacy | Web Accessibility Statement

Non-Discrimination Statement
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is committed to fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic. MCW’s policy as well as federal and state laws and regulations prohibit unlawful discrimination and harassment.

Notice of Compliance with Laws and Commitment to Civil Rights
The Medical College of Wisconsin is committed to full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations in the pursuit of our missions. Consistent with recent federal guidance, we affirm our commitment to individual merit, fairness, and equal treatment in all aspects of academic and institutional decision-making. As part of this commitment, we are actively reviewing our policies and materials to ensure they align with federal nondiscrimination obligations.