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Katrina Knight, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Dr. Katrina Knight is an Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and a Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) Scholar at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr.Knight received a PhD (2017) in Bioengineering from the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA) and a B.S. (2009) in Biochemistry from Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC), a Historically Black College and University. Prior to joining the Bioengineering Faculty, Dr. Knight was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Magee-Women’s Research Institute and Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences). Dr. Knight considers herself to be a translation bioengineer. She has extensive training in mechanical testing of soft tissues, computational modeling, and device design and development. On the biologic side, Dr. Knight is trained in animal model development and surgery and in biochemical and histologic techniques. Dr. Knight’s research focuses on understanding the pathogenesis of pelvic organ prolapse (prolapse) and the development of alternative treatment methods. Dr. Knight is particularly interested in elucidating the biomechanical and biological mechanisms that lead to complications associated with the use of synthetic mesh in prolapse repairs. Ultimately, Dr. Knight’s research aims to improve the lives of women with pelvic floor disorders through the development of novel and innovative treatments while concomitantly increasing the number of minorities pursuing an education and/or career in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Outside of academia, Dr. Knight has a strong passion for giving back to her community. She is the Chief Engineering Officer and co-founder of Your Village Is My Village Incorporated, a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to positively transform communities through mentoring and the education of at-promise youths. She is also the Director of Jumpstart CampBioE, a camp aimed to inspire the next generation of minority STEM professionals.

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