Kelley Renninger

Hi, I’m Kelley! I joined the Malkova lab in 2024 after completing my Ph.D. in Integrated Biology at the University of Iowa studying evolutionary developmental biology in plants. 

My research uses budding yeast as a model to understand the role of BIR in repair during two different processes: 1) programmed double-strand break repair during meiosis and 2) the mechanism of telomere lengthening in the absence of telomerase, called alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Specifically, I am interested in the effects of stressors such as temperature and R-loop formation on the repair outcomes in both scenarios.

When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy the occasional adventure, nature photography, reading fantasy novels, and playing video games.