Rosalie Lawrence, Ph.D.

Every cell in the body has the remarkable ability to detect and respond to stress — whether due to toxins, nutrient deprivation or disease. These cellular stress responses are highly conserved biological programs that, when activated appropriately, help cells survive by reshaping gene expression, protein production and metabolism until conditions improve. However, chronic activation of stress responses can be harmful, disrupting cell function and serving as a hallmark of age-related diseases, including multiple cancers and neurodegenerative disorders.

Lawrence studies the molecular mechanisms behind chronic stress response signals, focusing on how cells make the critical decision to turn these pathways on or off. She is especially interested in how metabolism is rewired under chronic stress and why this dysregulation impacts specific cell types in the brain — offering insight into the early events that lead to neurodegenerative conditions.