Kathryn Pflughoeft is a Research Scientist at DxDiscovery with expertise in host:microbe interactions. A concentration of her research has been the study of extracellular proteins and carbohydrates (secreted or cell envelope-associated), developing expertise in the purification of proteins from expression systems as well as from the native organism. In addition Kathryn has a strong interest in the regulation of extracellular virulence factors and antimicrobial proteins. She earned her PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston.