The Grainger College of Engineering
Materials Research Laboratory

Kristen M Flatt

Kristen M Flatt
Kristen M Flatt
Research Scientist
(217) 300-2064
301 Seitz Materials Research Lab

Education

  • B.S., Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013
  • Ph.D., Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2019

Academic Positions

  • Senior Research Scientist, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2024-present
  • Research Scientist, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2021-2024
  • Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2019-2021
  • Pre-Doctoral Fellow – Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2019
  • Graduate Research Assistant - Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015-2019
  • Laboratory Manager – Nematology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013-2015
  • Academic Research Assistant – Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2013-2014

Research Statement

My research interests include biological and soft materials sample preparation and imaging, specifically regarding electron microscopy (both scanning and transmission) and optical microscopy. My experience with scanning electron microscopy encompasses work with both conventional, 3-dimensional samples, and ultra-thin sections (Array Tomography). I also have experience in cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and sample preparation – including vitrification and thin sectioning of frozen samples. My background in optical microscopy includes work with standard stereomicroscopy, compound light and fluorescent microscopy, and confocal microscopy. My previous research used a combination of molecular genetic techniques, optical microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to investigating the effects of environmental stressors on the neuronal anatomy of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. Since coming to the MRL, I have had the opportunity to work with various tissue types and small particles, ranging from viruses and folded proteins to synthetic nanoparticles. I enjoy challenging samples and investigating new methods beyond traditional techniques. To me, there is almost nothing better than seeing your sample up close and personal under the microscope. No matter what technique you are using, I tend to think of microscopy as both a science and an art. Using microscopy, not only are we able to gain valuable information on how the world around us functions, but we often find that the structures themselves are also quite beautiful.

Research Interests

  • Cryogenic Electron Microscopy and Sample Preparation, including Vitrification (Plunge Freezing and High-Pressure Freezing), Cryogenic Ultramicrotomy
  • Biological and Soft Material Microscopy and Sample Preparation for Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Light Microscopy

Research Areas

Selected Articles in Journals

  • Kumar, S., Ziegler, Y., Plotner, B.N., Flatt, K.F., Kim, S.H., Katzenellenbogen, J.A. & Katzenellenbogen, B.S. (2024) Resistance to FOXM1 inhibitors in breast cancer is accompanied by impeding ferroptosis and apoptotic cell death. Breast Cancer Res Treat. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-024-07420-9
  • Aragon, M., Bowman, S. E. J., Chen, C.-H., de la Cruz, M. J., Decato, D. A., Eng, E. T., Flatt, K. M., Gulati, S., Li, Y., Lomba, C. J., Mercado, B., Miller, J., Palatinus, L., Rice, W. J., Waterman, D. & Zimanyi, C. M. (2024). Applying 3D ED/MicroED workflows toward the next frontiers. Acta Cryst. C80.
  • Dinh T. Nguyen, Lingyang Zhu, Danielle L. Gray, Toby J. Woods, Chandrashekhar Padhi, Kristen M. Flatt, Douglas A. Mitchell, and Wilfred A. van der Donk (2024) Biosynthesis of Macrocyclic Peptides with C-Terminal β-Amino-α-keto Acid Groups by Three Different Metalloenzymes. ACS Central Science. DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.4c00088
  • Indrajit Srivastava, Ruiyang Xue, Hsuan-Kai Huang, Ziwen Wang, Jamie Jones, Isabella Vasquez, Subhendu Pandit, Li Lin, Shensheng Zhao, Kristen Flatt, Viktor Gruev, Yun-Sheng Chen, Shuming Nie. (2023) Biomimetic-Membrane-Protected Plasmonic Nanostructures as Dual-Modality Contrast Agents for Correlated Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering and Photoacoustic Detection of Hidden Tumor Lesions. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2024, 16 (7) , 8554-8569.
  • Indrajit Srivastava, Benjamin Lew, Yuhan Wang, Steven Blair, Mebin Babu George, Brianna Scheid Hajek, Sushant Bangru, Subhendu Pandit, Ziwen Wang, Jamie Ludwig, Kristen Flatt, Martin Gruebele, Shuming Nie, and Viktor Gruev (2023). Cell-Membrane Coated Nanoparticles for Tumor Delineation and Qualitative Estimation of Cancer Biomarkers at Single Wavelength Excitation in Murine and Phantom Models. ACS Nano 2023 17 (9), 8465-8482. DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00578
  • Srivastava, I., Xue, R., Jones, J., Rhee, H. Flatt, K., Gruev, V., Shuming Nie, S. (2022). Biomimetic Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Nanoparticles with Improved Dispersibility, Signal Brightness, and Tumor Targeting Functions. ACS Nano
  • Hughes, K. J., Rodriguez, A., Flatt K. M., Ray, S., Schuler, A., Rodemoyer, B., Veerappan, V., Cuciarone, K., Kullman, A., Lim, C., Gutta, N., Vemuri, S., Andriulis, V., Niswonger, D., Barickman, L., Stein, W., Singhvi, A., Schroeder, N. E., Vidal-Gadea, A. G. (2019). Physical Exertion Exacerbates Decline in the Musculature of an Animal Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 116(9), 3508–3517.
  • Flatt, K. M., Beshers, C., Unal, C., Cohen, J. D., Sundaram, M. V, & Schroeder, N. E. (2019). Epidermal Remodeling in Caenorhabditis elegans Dauers Requires the Nidogen Domain Protein DEX-1. Genetics, 211(1), 169–183.
  • Cohen, J. D., Flatt, K. M., Schroeder, N. E., & Sundaram, M. V. (2019). Epithelial Shaping by Diverse Apical Extracellular Matrices Requires the Nidogen Domain Protein DEX-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics, 211(1), 185–200.
  • Androwski R. J., Flatt K. M., Schroeder N. E. (2017) Phenotypic Plasticity and Remodeling in the Stress-Induced Caenorhabditis elegans Dauer. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Dev. Biol. 6: e278.
  • Molohon, K. J., Blair, P. M., Park, S., Doroghazi, J. R., Maxson, T., Hershfield, J. R., Flatt, K. M., Schroeder, N. E., Mitchell, D. A. (2016). Plantazolicin is an Ultra-Narrow Spectrum