Rebecca Resnick

Year Entered MSTP: 2012

Prior Education

College:	Amerst College
Degree:	BA, Biology

Student Information

Mentor(s)	Tapscott, Stephen MD, PhD Faculty Website »
Primary Department	Molecular & Cellular Biology

Doctorate Information

Dissertation Title:	DUX4-induced Histone Variants H3.X and H3.Y Mark DUX4 Target Genes For Expression
Defense Date:	2018-10-22

Current Positions

Title:	Physician, Internal Medicine
Location:	UW Medicine, Seattle, WA

Publications »

Current Research

Histone Variants in Muscular Dystrophy

Rebecca Resnick received her Ph.D. through the Molecular and Cellular Biology program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center under the mentorship of Stephen Tapscott, M.D., Ph.D. (who is also an Associate Director of our MSTP). Her dissertation research was focused on the molecular genetic pathogenesis of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The genetics of FSHD are extremely complicated and involve subtelomeric repeats, a permissive genotype at a different locus, and activation of pseudogenes. Nevertheless, Rebecca took the bull by the horns and explored how the FSHD-associated gene DUX4 facilitates genomic incorporation of a recently discovered new class of histone variants. While in clerkships, Rebecca engaged in a new translational research project studying COVID-19 in pregnancy.