Interim CBCRP Director

Katherine McKenzie, Ph.D.

Contact: Email 

Katherine (Katie) McKenzie is the interim director of the California Breast Cancer Research Program (CBCRP). She has worked to fund breast cancer research for nearly 30 years and is dedicated to finding and supporting creative and effective solutions to intrangient issues that lead to lost years, loved ones and quality time due to breast cancer.

Katie earned her A.B. in Biology at Bryn Mawr College and her Ph.D. in Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley. She received her postdoctoral training in molecular and cell biology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, where she studied molecular mechanisms involved in mammary tumor progression and intraductal cell targeting approaches to prevent breast cancer. Upon completing her postdoctoral fellowship, she joined CBCRP, where she sets breast cancer research program priorities; manages application review and grant funding; establishes and maintains collaborations between CBCRP and organizations dedicated to advancing breast cancer research; and shares research findings with diverse stakeholders.

In addition to her contributions to CBCRP, Katie supports research funding activities within UCOP and beyond. She served an interim program officer overseeing the cancer portfolio for the Tobacco Related Disease Research Program and as an interim program officer and Interim Co-Administrative Director in the University of California Research Initiatives. She contributed her experience to cross-program projects including the development of grant and application management databases and development and execution of special projects such as the California Climate Action Initiative. She is the former chair and current trustee of the International Cancer Research Partnership, an alliance of over 150 governmental and nonprofit cancer funding agencies throughout the North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.