Caitlin Couch, Ph.D.
Caitlin Couch is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Vanderbilt University, where she studies the structural basis of intracellular calcium signaling and transport using structural biology techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy.
Caitlin earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology from Emory University, where she used traditional medicinal plant extracts to identify novel antimicrobial compounds, including potential SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors. Following her Ph.D., she gained experience in biotech operations as Director of Operations at Radyus Research & Development, working with organizations across the drug development and biotechnology landscape.
At Vanderbilt, Caitlin is building expertise in structure-based drug discovery, bringing together her pharmacology and industry experience with structural biology approaches to study calcium signaling. Her long-term interests include applying this interdisciplinary expertise to the discovery and molecular characterization of botanical drugs.
Caitlin’s experiences across academia, biotechnology, patent law, and science policy shape her approach to mentorship and scientific communication. She serves as Career Development Co-Chair of the Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Association and on the ASPET Drug Policy Research Committee, where she contributes perspectives on natural product drug regulation. Outside of research, she enjoys snowboarding and creating mixed media artwork.