We are delighted to announce that Dr. Joanna Kovalski will join the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics as a tenure-track Assistant Professor, effective January 12, 2026. She will also be appointed as a full member of the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Kovalski’s research centers on the post-transcriptional control of gene expression in cancer, with a particular focus on how selective RNA translational mechanisms drive tumor growth. Her work aims to uncover how the tumorigenic proteome is shaped and to identify novel therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Dr. Kovalski earned her B.A. in Biochemistry and Archaeology from Washington University in St. Louis, followed by a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford University, where she investigated Ras signaling in cancer. She recently completed her postdoctoral training at UCSF under Dr. Davide Ruggero, developing genome-wide functional screening approaches to reveal new mechanisms regulating oncogenic protein expression, including Myc.
At UNC, the Kovalski Lab will employ a systems-level approach, integrating functional screening, RNA biology, proteomics, in vivo models, and computational methods to map the post-transcriptional regulatory code of cancer.
Dr. Kovalski is currently accepting applications for a Research Assistant position and will welcome rotation students in Spring 2026.