• Skip to navigation
  • Skip to content
Ulster University logo Return to Ulster University homepage
  • Global students – Resources for Ulster University International Students
  • Staff Links – Resources for Ulster University staff
  • Student Guide - The Student Guide to Ulster
  • Portal - for Ulster University
  • Find staff & Departments – search and browse Ulster’s staff directory
  • News – for Ulster University
  • Events – for Ulster University
  • Home - Ulster University website homepage
  • Study at Ulster University

    Study options

    • Study in Northern Ireland
    • Undergraduate study options
    • Postgraduate study options
    • Postgraduate Research/ PhD
    • Short courses and CPD
    • Part-time Undergraduate study options
    • Part-time study options
    • eLearning study at Ulster University

    Courses

    • Search for courses
    • A to Z 2023/24
    • A to Z 2022/23

    More information

    • Entrance requirements
    • Equivalence of qualifications
    • Your rights and obligations
    • International students
    • Further education students
    • Associate students
  • Campus Life at Ulster University

    Campus Life

    • Campuses
    • Accommodation - Residential Services
    • Sport Services
    • Students' Union UUSU
    • All Ulster University Events

    Support

    • Student Guide
    • Student Wellbeing
    • Digital Services
    • Library

    Careers and Opportunities

    • Employability and Careers
    • Go Global
    • Science Shop
    • Student Enterprise
  • Research & Impact

    Research & Impact

    • Our research
    • Collaboration and Innovation
    • Work with us
    • Our Research Topics
    • Our Research Teams

    PhD/Research degrees

    • Funded & Self Funded PhDs
    • Postgraduate Research Programmes
    • How to apply for PhD Research
    • Funding for Phd's
    • Contact the Doctoral College

    More information

    • PURE - research portal
    • REF 2021 (Research Excellence Framework)
    • Policies and Procedures
  • Business themed areas of Ulster University

    Work with Us

    • Recruit top talent
    • Business School student placements
    • Scholarships, sponsorships and corporate giving
    • Upskill courses by Sector

    Business Engagement

    • Build a course
    • Executive Education Courses
    • Apprenticeship Hub
    • Business leader Peer Mentoring
    • Postgraduate short courses

    Research Expertise

    • Work with us
    • Funding opportunities
    • Innovation Ulster Ltd
    • Case studies
    • Meet the team

    Further Information

    • Market information
    • Hire one of our venues
  • Graduates of Ulster University
  • Home - Go to homepage
  • Study Options at Ulster University
  • Find a course at Ulster University
  • Campus Life
  • Research & Impact at Ulster University
  • Business at Ulster University
  • Graduates - find out about Alumni and Supporters at Ulster University
  • Global Students – become part of our global community at Ulster University

  • Student Guide
  • Staff Links – Resources for Ulster University staff
  • Find staff & Departments – search and browse Ulster’s staff directory
  • Portal – customise and access your online services

  •   Twitter account for Ulster University
  •   Facebook account for Ulster University
  •   YouTube account for Ulster University
Ulster University
  • Search
  • Link for Ulster University
  • Link for News
  • Link for 2018
  • Link for December
12 December 2018

Top spot at Harvard Medical School for Ulster University PhD graduate

Top spot at Harvard Medical School for Ulster University PhD graduate

Share Article:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn

Ulster University Postgraduate Student of the Year, Katie Christie, graduates today with a PhD in Molecular Medicine. In January, she follows in the footsteps of her supervisor Professor Tara Moore, taking up a five-year post-doctoral position at the prestigious Harvard University in Boston, a world-leading university for biomedical science and biotechnology.

Katie’s PhD research has made a significant contribution to the emerging field of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, focusing on the development of novel treatments for genetic eye disease. This type of disease is inherited, passed from parent to child through the generations. Katie’s PhD research focused on eliminating the faulty genetic cause passed down through generations to cure the disease.

Katie says completing the PhD has changed her life. It provided her with an extensive skill set in the very exciting and emerging field of molecular medicine, alongside the opportunity to travel extensively to enhance her knowledge and disseminate the world-leading research conducted at Ulster University.

“Completing my PhD has been challenging but the most rewarding experience, I’m a different person now as I am confident and assured as a subject specialist. My PhD research has also taken me all over the world, presenting at conferences and meeting collaborators. I have also spent time working in many laboratories worldwide creating and trialling novel treatments for inherited blinding eye disease."

Growing up on a farm in the country in County Tyrone instilled the value of hard work in Katie and this work ethic has helped her to achieve her dream job at the renowned scientific hub at Harvard University.

“I knew upon commencing my postgraduate studies at Ulster that I would have to work hard. If you are driven and not afraid of hard work you can achieve anything. It was a very rewarding experience to see my results have an impact on the wider literature and help progress towards developing a potential cure of genetic diseases. I am really excited about expanding upon the state-of-the-art technologies I learnt at Ulster University when I join the laboratories of renowned scientist Dr Benjamin Kleinstiver at Harvard University in January 2019. I sometimes have to pinch myself to believe it is happening. My family are thrilled for me and Christmas at home this year will be very special.”

Tara Moore, Professor of Personalised Medicine at Ulster University said:

“Katie is one of the most dedicated, hardworking and exceptional students I have had the pleasure of having as part of my team. My Ulster University laboratories are spearheading a novel personalised medicine approach to treat eye disease with our state-of-the-art equipment and technologies. We are proud to be developing excellent postgraduate researchers who are becoming leaders in their chosen fields. Most importantly, the research outcomes achieved during Katie’s PhD will strengthen our path to a ‘first in human’ clinical trial for innovative gene editing for a corneal eye disease, which would otherwise blind people. This impact on patients’ lives and saving sight is very rewarding for all of the team involved at Ulster.”


Related Topics

Find out more about Faculty - Life and Health SciencesFind out more about School of Biomedical SciencesFind out more about Research and ImpactFind out more about Doctoral CollegeFind out more about InternationalFind out more about AlumniFind out more about Graduation

Related news

  1. Mon 04 Jul 2022

    Applications open for Distinguished Education Excellence Awards 2022 as Celebration held for 2021 Winners

  2. Mon 04 Jul 2022

    One of NI’s top apprentice graduates shows success doesn’t always follow a straight path

  3. Fri 01 Jul 2022

    Celebrate the Launch of ‘The Songs of Sam Henry’ Album by local musician and PhD Researcher

  4. Fri 01 Jul 2022

    Careers Teachers’ Summit 2022 welcomes 100 delegates to the Magee campus

Elsewhere on Ulster

Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment

Faculty of Life and Health Sciences

Ulster University Business School- Faculty

Courses & Research

  • Search for courses
  • Undergraduate courses at Ulster University
  • Postgraduate courses at Ulster University
  • Part-time courses at Ulster University
  • Short courses & CPD at Ulster University
  • Study online at Ulster University
  • Research & Impact
  • Doctoral College
  • PURE Research Portal

Campus locations

  • Belfast campus
  • Coleraine campus
  • Jordanstown campus
  • Magee campus
  • London and Birmingham
  • Qatar

Campus facilities

  • Residential Services / Accommodation
  • Sports Services - Memberships and Facilities
  • Library Services and resources supporting learning, teaching and research at the University

About The University

  • About Ulster University
  • Contact Details
  • Job opportunities
  • Key calendar dates
  • Faculties at Ulster University
  • News - Ulster University
  • Events - Ulster University

Other sites

  • Alumni & Supporters
  • Confucius Institute
  • Get advice from Employability and Careers
  • Finance Department
  • Flexible Education
  • Digital Services - computing, digital and media services
  • People & Culture
  • Student Wellbeing
  • Sustainability

Ulster University social

@StudyAtUlster Follow us on Twitter @UlsterUni Follow us on Twitter
/studyatulster /ulsteruniversity
/StudyAtUlster /UlsterUniversity
/ulsteruni
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statements
  • Copyright
  • Freedom of Information
  • Modern Slavery Statement

© Copyright Ulster University 2022.

Ulster University is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC100166).