Mary Rose grew up locally in Cambridge and Arlington, MA before heading to Atlanta, GA where she obtained a B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and minor in Dance and Movement Studies from Emory University. Mary Rose first became interested in cellular and molecular neurobiology as an undergraduate in Dr. John Hepler’s lab where her honors thesis work involved investigating the regulation and dynamic subcellular localization of regulator of G protein signaling 14 (RGS14), a protein highly enriched in CA2 of the hippocampus. She received her Ph.D. from Duke University under the guidance of Dr. Al La Spada, where she studied the regulation of cellular metabolism by the protein kinase MAP4K3 and used proteomics and phosphoproteomics approaches to identify novel MAP4K3-regulated cellular functions.
When not in lab, Mary Rose decompresses by punching boxing bags, taking drop-in modern dance classes, and (re)exploring the Boston area with her family and pug-mix.