Contact
Email: keprater@uw.edu
Biography
Dr. Katherine E. Prater is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from Scripps College in Claremont, California, and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan, where she studied individual differences in resilience to fear. She then completed postdoctoral research at the University of Washington.
Dr. Prater’s research focuses on the role of microglia in resilience to neurodegenerative diseases. Her work uses advanced techniques, including single-nucleus RNA sequencing, to study microglial responses to Alzheimer’s pathology. She has published in high-impact journals and received several awards, including the Alzheimer’s Association New Investigator Award, the NIH K22 Career Transition Award, and the Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars Award. She is also a dedicated mentor and educator. Her research aims to identify cellular and molecular factors that contribute to resilience and to inform potential therapeutic approaches to prevent dementia.
