Kasey Couts

Kasey Lyn Couts serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Her academic journey and professional endeavors have been deeply rooted in the exploration of rare melanomas, including mucosal, acral, and ocular melanomas. Her research is dedicated to unraveling the complexities of these melanomas, aiming to identify risk factors and develop innovative diagnostic tools for both tumors and blood samples. Dr. Couts is committed to advancing the understanding of melanoma pathobiology, with a focus on halting disease progression and eliminating micro-metastatic disease. Her work is pivotal in improving the efficacy of existing therapies and in the development of new treatment modalities tailored for patients with rare melanomas. Her research has garnered support from prestigious organizations, including the Patten-Davis Foundation, the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI), the American Cancer Society Institutional Seed Grant, the Cancer League of Colorado, and the Paul R. Ohara II Seed Grant Award. Her scholarly contributions have been widely recognized, with publications in numerous esteemed journals such as Diabetes Care, J Leukoc Biol, Cancer Cell, Pigment Cell Melanoma Res, Nat Commun, Clin Cancer Res, and Cancer Discov, among others. These publications reflect her commitment to advancing the field of oncology and her dedication to improving patient outcomes. Dr. Couts's research interests are diverse and encompass a range of topics including melanoma, oncogene proteins, fusion, proto-oncogene proteins B-raf, skin neoplasms, and septins. Her work is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach, integrating insights from various fields to address the challenges posed by rare melanomas. In addition to her research, Dr. Couts is actively involved in mentoring the next generation of scientists and clinicians, fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation. Her dedication to both her research and her students exemplifies her commitment to the advancement of medical science and the betterment of patient care.