News
17 March 2025
Postdoc Profile: Q&A with Helen Horkan, Postdoctoral Researcher in the Gibson Lab
“The sky is the limit at the Stowers Institute. If you have an idea, there is always somebody willing to help you make it happen.”
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Helen's Profile
Honors
2019-2023
Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research Training in Genomics Data Science PhD Studentship
Helen Horkan is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Gibson Lab working on the evolution of cell type specification using the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis. Horkan completed her Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Uri Frank at the Centre for Chromosome Biology at the University of Galway in Ireland. Her Ph.D. thesis entitled, "Cell-type specific genome stability in the non-ageing animal Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus," used a combination of wet lab and genomic approaches to characterize radiation resistance in a Cnidarian. Horkan is passionate about multi-disciplinary research and the development of non-traditional research organisms as tools to understand complex evolutionary questions.
Featured Publications
The Hydractinia cell atlas reveals the cellular and molecular principles of cnidarian coloniality.
Salamanca-Díaz, DA.†, Horkan, HR.†*, Garcia-Castro, H., Emili, E., Salinas-Saavedra, M., Rossi, ME., Álvarez-Presas, M., Mac Gabhann, R., Febrimarsa., Pérez-Posada, Alberto., Kenny, NJ., Paps, J., Frank, U.*, Solana, J.* The Hydractinia cell atlas reveals the cellular and molecular principles of cnidarian coloniality. BioRxiv. 10.1101/2024.06.18.599157 (2024) †equally contributing, *corresponding
Curantz, C., Doody, C., Horkan, HR., Krasovec, G., Weavers, PK., DuBuc, TQ., Frank, U. A positive feedback loop between germ cells and gonads induces and maintains cnidarian sexual reproduction. BioRxiv. 10.1101/2024.05.16.594501 (2024)
Evolution of Apoptotic Signaling Pathways Within Lophotrochozoans
Horkan, HR.*, Popgeorgiev, N., Vervoort, M., Gazave, E., Krasovec, G.* Evolution of Apoptotic Signaling Pathways Within Lophotrochozoans. Genome Biology and Evolution. 10.1093/gbe/evae204 (2024) *corresponding
Intrinsic apoptosis is evolutionarily divergent among metazoans.
Krasovec, G., Horkan, HR., Quéinnec, É., Chambon, JP. Intrinsic apoptosis is evolutionarily divergent among metazoans. Evolution Letters. 10.1093/evlett/qrad057 (2023)
Chromosome-level genome assembly of Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus.
Kon-Nanjo, K., Kon, T., Horkan, HR., Febrimarsa, Steele, RE., Cartwright, P., Frank, U., Simakov, O. Chromosome-level genome assembly of Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus. G3. 10.1093/g3journal/jkad107 (2023)