Cathrine R. Carlson

About

Cathrine R. Carlson is a molecular cell biologist whose research has made significant contributions to our understanding of cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling and the regulation of protein kinase A (PKA) in cellular contexts. Her work focuses on A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), which serve as critical scaffolds that organize PKA and other cAMP effectors into precise signaling complexes at specific subcellular locations. In her highly cited 2006 study (154 citations), Carlson and colleagues developed an innovative RI anchoring disruptor tool to selectively dissect Type I PKA signaling events, advancing the field's ability to parse the specificity of cAMP-mediated processes. Her earlier work, published in 2003 (52 citations), uncovered a novel link between the scaffolding protein Merlin and neuronal cAMP signaling, demonstrating that Merlin anchors the RIβ regulatory subunit of PKA — a finding with implications for hippocampal synaptic plasticity and neurological function. Together, these contributions have helped illuminate how spatial control of PKA activity governs diverse physiological outcomes, providing a foundation for understanding signaling dysregulation in neurological and other diseases.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Delineation of Type I Protein Kinase A-selective Signaling Events Using an RI Anchoring Disruptor

   154 citations · 2006
2. 2
   Merlin Links to the cAMP Neuronal Signaling Pathway by Anchoring the RIβ Subunit of Protein Kinase A

   52 citations · 2003

Key Collaborators

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