Katherine Bhatt

Katherine Bhatt has contributed to characterizing and treating Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma defined by IgM paraproteinemia and the near-universal MYD88 L265P somatic mutation. Her research has examined how MYD88 L265P activates BTK signaling and NF-kappaB pathways, explaining the therapeutic activity of ibrutinib and second-generation BTK inhibitors in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. She has characterized the role of CXCR4 mutations in Waldenstrom as modifiers of ibrutinib response, with CXCR4-mutated tumors showing slower and less deep responses to BTK inhibition. Her clinical research on zanubrutinib in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia has contributed to its approval as a treatment with favorable response rates and toxicity profile compared to ibrutinib.