Kat DeRuff (She/Her) is the Project Manager for the Viral Genomics Group. Her responsibilities include grant and proposal management, relationship management, and wet lab coordination. She helps manage projects and collaborations across the Broad, state and federal public health departments, partners at local hospitals, and abroad.

Kat studied Biology at Bucknell University, where she researched various pathogens in bats and explored the effects of both communicable and non-communicable diseases on the public health system in Costa Rica. After graduating, Kat joined the Broad as a Research Associate in the Proteomics Platform before moving to the Sabeti Lab in a joint Research Associate/Lab Operations role in early 2020. Throughout the pandemic, Kat has worked on many components of our group’s response to COVID-19 from sequencing the earliest cases in March 2020 to managing research projects across the country to implementing automation in Senegal.

Outside of work, Kat enjoys open water swimming in the harbor or nearby lakes, cycling, gardening, and cooking.