Katherine Neiswanger

Research Assistant Professor & Ph.D. Medical Geneticist, Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh

Clinical Fellowship, University of Pittsburgh, 2000-2002
Post-Doc, Mayo Clinic, 1985-1987
Ph.D., UCLA, 1985
B.A., Oberlin College, 1974

Research Interests

My research interests include the identification of genes for such complex diseases as nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate, oral health problems including caries and periodontal disease, and psychiatric illnesses like depression and alcoholism. I am also interested in mosaicism, in particular mosaic trisomy 16 and its clinical correlates. On a different note, during my student research days at UCLA, I amassed a set of fibroblast cell lines and DNA from several species of primates, which are available to interested researchers and through the Coriell Institute.

Teaching Interests

Modern human genetics is one of the most exciting and sometimes controversial fields of human endeavor today. Its basic concepts should be understood by health care professionals no matter their age or specialization. I enjoy teaching human molecular genetics in both the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh — as a Co-Director of the Human Molecular Genetics course for first year medical students, a lecturer for several courses for dental students and residents, and an instructor in the Continuing Dental Education Program.

Clinical Interests

As the genetic consultant for the Cleft-Craniofacial Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for two years, I helped families understand more about the genetics and recurrence risks relevant to their personal situations, while also gaining invaluable firsthand experience with the more common genetic syndromes that present with orofacial clefting. Currently, I coordinate the Clinical Genetic Case Conference, which is sponsored jointly by Children’s Hospital, Magee Women’s Hospital, and the Department of Human Genetics in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh.