Catherine Ehrhart

Self-driven Senior PhD candidate passionate about advancing knowledge in synthetic biology, and protein engineering through interdisciplinary approaches. Multi-skilled researcher with a broad set of scientific skills in biophysics, structural biology, computational biology, and biomedical engineering. Self-motivated and experienced in conducting research in highly collaborative environments.

Duke International Student Center (DISC) iGuide, 09/2021-Present

• Graduate student leader helping DISC staff to support and mentor 3,000 incoming international students and organize social events throughout the academic year.

Founding member of the GPSG Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee , 09/2021-Present

• Draft and present resolutions for the Duke Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG). Passed resolutions are forwarded to university administrators.
• Spearheaded a mental health resolution that passed with 100% “yes” votes and lead to a referendum sent to all 15,000 Duke undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

President of the Duke Biochemistry Graduate Student Council, 10/2021-04/2023

• Lead an elected council representing the Biochemistry graduate student body.
• Organized social and outreach events as well as career development workshops.

Grant Writing , 06/2018-Present

• Assisted in grant design, writing, and preliminary data collection. Total awarded grants value: $3M.

Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) Technician , 08/2018-Present

• Pioneered the acquisition of an Octet RED96e instrument and established protocols for the laboratory and all external users.

Lab Manager , 08/2018-Present

• Organize workflow, keep a detailed chemical inventory, purchase lab supply and equipment, perform equipment maintenance, schedule repairs.

Radioactive Safety Lab Officer , 08/2018-Present

• Manage lab radioactive material, complete monthly inventory, safety checks, yearly inspections, and train new users.

GPSG Biochemistry Representative , 08/2019-08/2021

• Represented the Biochemistry Department at the Duke Graduate and Professional Student Government. Served as student liaison to the Graduate School and voted on resolutions.

Marine Conservation Research Volunteer for the NGO Blue Ventures in Andavadoaka, Madagascar, 06/2017-08/2017

• Assisted an international team of marine biologists and field scientists in surveying the coral condition and fish population of a coral reef in Madagascar.
• Worked with local communities to develop solutions for alternative sources of income and teach them French and English.

• S Badr*, A Nguyen3*, A Thomsen, L Huang, H Kobayashi, A Kahsai, J Kim, B Ho, S Ma, J Little, C Ehrhart , I Pyne, E Hammond, M Bouvier, The V2R–β-arrestin–Gβγ complex promotes G protein translocation to endosomes, submitted for publication (Nature Communications).
• C Fontes*, C Ehrhart*, J Peng, D Kinnamon, K Sharma, A Huang, Z Quinn, B Lipes, M Borgnia, B Donald, A Chilkoti, Rational design of synthetic multivalent binders for secreted glycoprotein in the development of ultrasensitive Ebola virus diagnostics, in writing - to be submitted to Science.

• Duke Biochemistry Graduate Student Service Award (10/2022)
• Duke Biochemistry Outstanding Poster Award (10/2022)
• Duke Shared Material Instrumentation Facility Cryo-EM voucher (05/2019-05/2020)
• Con X Tech Prize Finalist, Conservation X Labs (07/2019)
• Duke Blueprint Sustainable Ideation Conference Project: 1st place (02/2019)
• Rajagopalan Student Support Award, Duke University (08/2017-07/2019)
• Drug Development Ideation Competition, Duke University: 1st place (12/2017)
• Chemistry Student Support Award, University of Virginia (08/2016-05/2017)
• Graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors, Old Dominion University (05/2016)
• Dean's List: awarded 8/8 semester, Old Dominion University (12/2012-05/2016)
• Undergraduate Research Grant, Old Dominion University (08/2015-05/2016)
• Outstanding Student in Physical Chemistry, Old Dominion University (05/2016)
• Outstanding Student in Biochemistry, Old Dominion University (05/2015)
• Dr. Allen K. Clark Endowed Scholarship in Chemistry, Old Dominion University (05/2015-05/2016)
• Old Dominion University Monarch Scholarship (08/2012-05/2016)

• PADI Rescue Scuba Diver, Andavadoaka, Madagascar - 08/2017
• German Goethe-Zertifikat B1, Lille, France - 05/2011
• Emergency First Response (CPR/AED/First Aid), Lille, France - 03/2011