Kimberly Jasmer

University of Missouri, Department of Biochemistry

Dr. Jasmer earned her B.S. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Washington in 2009 and then her PhD from the University of Missouri in 2015 where she studied the role of heme oxygenase in melanoma tumorigenesis. Originally from Oregon, she is now an Assistant Research Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Missouri. Her current work focuses on the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory diseases of the salivary glands, namely autoimmune Sjögrens syndrome (SS) and chronic hyposalivation as a collateral side effect of head and neck radiotherapy. She is especially interested in understanding how Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) coordinate epithelial-immune cell communication in these disease processes. The class of DAMPs she has focused on are released extracellular nucleotides, primarily extracellular adenosine triphosphate (eATP), and the purinergic P2 receptors that are activated in response to the release of extracellular nucleotides.  She is a previous recipient of a Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation grant and is the current Program Chair for the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) Salivary Research Group.