Kathleen M. Fisch, Ph.D. graduated with Honors from Downey High School in 2002. In addition to graduating as an AP Scholar, she participated in several extracurricular activities. She graduated from the University of California (UC) Berkeley in 2006 studying Integrative Biology. She went on to obtain her Ph.D. in Ecology from UC Davis in 2011, where she studied conservation of genetics of endangered fish species. Through postdoctoral research positions the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research and The Scripps Research Institute, Dr. Fisch transitioned her research focus to human genetics and computational biology.
Dr. Fisch in now the Faculty Director of the UC San Diego Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Co-Director of Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute Center for Excellence in Translational Immunogenomics, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and UC San Diego. In her leadership roles, Dr. Fisch spearheads the development of a vibrant, leading edge vision for computational genomics, bioinformatics support and infrastructure at US San Diego Health Sciences. She has played a pivotal role in the molecular surveillance of COVID-19 virus variants in California as a member of the San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health Alliance, where she has led the computational effort to analyze thousands of virus samples. Dr. Fisch continues to work to advance her field through active, ongoing research, focusing o understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying pregnancy disorders and exposures to improve maternal and child health throughout the lifespan.