Why I'm a Scientist: Kate Dembny
University of Minnesota MD/PhD student Kate Dembny aims to bridge patient care, brain science, and engineering to improve life for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.
As a sixth-year dual-degree MD/PhD student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Kate Dembny is charting a path that bridges patient care and groundbreaking research. Growing up in Texas with a love of science but little understanding of what “doing science” meant, she is now focused on the intricate connections between the brain’s circuitry and the daily lives of people with Parkinson’s disease.
The Spark: Journey Into Science
Dembny’s early experiences with science came in the classroom, but her perspective changed when she started working in a lab as an undergraduate. “I feel like I had never really seen what science was until I went to college and actually worked in a lab,” she said. “I always loved science classes in school, but school often frames science as a body of knowledge to memorize, rather than a set of tools for making sense of the world. The way that we teach science and the way that science gets done in practice can look very different.”
Encouragement from her family and several teachers nurtured her interest. “My dad is a pharmacist, and growing up, math, science, and human health were all dinner table discussion material. He always believed in my dreams and supported me,” she said.
“My undergraduate research advisor was also really wonderful. Working in her lab was my first opportunity to participate in doing science. And it was just such a cool, informative experience that sent me down the road to where I am today.”
The Drive: Motivation and Purpose
Today, Dembny studies Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that causes tremor, stiffness, and difficulty walking. She’s interested in a therapy called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), an FDA-approved treatment that uses small electrodes placed in specific brain areas to improve movement-related symptoms of Parkinson’s. Her research investigates whether this therapy could be adapted to improve cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s as well.
“Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease behind Alzheimer’s,” she explained. “My PhD project is interested in understanding some of the network mechanisms inside the brain that contribute to working memory, particularly the anatomy that we know is disrupted in Parkinson's, the basal ganglia.”
Her motivation comes from working directly with patients. “I love seeing patients and how much of a difference the therapies can make in their lives. Many patients receive amazing benefits, but there are patients for whom these therapies could be better, so the question is, how do we do better? The possibility of improving life for all of the patients I see in my clinical education is really motivating.”
The Impact: Discovery and Contribution
Dembny hopes her work will eventually help expand the benefits of DBS beyond motor symptoms. “The very long-term goal of the research is to develop new therapies to improve additional symptoms for patients with Parkinson's, namely cognitive functions that patients struggle with as a result of the disease,” she said.
She credits the interdisciplinary team at the University of Minnesota with strengthening her science. “It's been cool to be part of such a big team effort to make Parkinson's care better,” she said. “Everybody brings different skill sets to the table, which has made my education and my science so much better.”
The Future: Vision and Inspiration
In the future, Dembny plans to combine clinical practice with research. “The goal is to be both a clinician and a scientist,” she said. “And hopefully be that bridge that accelerates the movement of new therapies from bench to bedside.”
Her optimism is fueled by those around her. “There are so many really excellent and intelligent scientists and clinicians who are so motivated to make the world better for patients and improve the care available,” she said. “It's motivating to see other really brilliant people so invested in something that I also really care about.”
Asked to sum up her purpose, Dembny’s answer is simple: “I'm a scientist because I care about people.”