About

Kasey Evans is an Associate Professor of English at Northwestern University, specializing in Renaissance literature. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a member of the graduate faculty. Her academic work focuses on the English literary canon from 1400 to 1800, with particular attention to the poetry and prose of Edmund Spenser, race and racism in the Renaissance, and theories of virtue and vice in Renaissance texts. Evans offers courses on these topics within the English Department and also teaches and serves in the Gender Studies Program, the Program in Comparative Literary Studies, and the Kaplan Humanities Scholars Program. Her notable scholarly contribution is her book 'Colonial Virtue: The Mobility of Temperance in Renaissance England,' published by the University of Toronto Press in 2012. The book explores how English writers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries used the virtue of temperance as a lens to view European colonialism in the New World. It examines the rhetorical and geographical mobility of temperance as it migrated from classical and humanistic discourses into the political and economic vocabularies of the British empire, and how it evolved into a term with multiple connotations during the English Renaissance, used to justify various colonial ambitions. Currently, Evans is working on a project titled 'Renaissance Resurrections: Making the Dead Speak in Reformation Texts,' which investigates how grief and mourning are expressed in new literary forms following the Protestant Reformation. Her research analyzes how the doctrinal and political changes of the Reformation influenced textual responses to death, with a focus on how energies formerly invested in Catholic rituals migrated into other rhetorical arenas. Her specializations include Classical & Biblical Literature, Drama & Performance, Medieval Literature, Multilingual & Comparative Literatures, Psychoanalytic Theory, Poetry & Poetics, Early Modern Literature, and Gender & Sexuality Studies.

Research topics

• Genetics
• Computational biology
• Biology
• Ecology
• Evolutionary biology

Selected publications

• Global genomic diversity of the selfing nematode Caenorhabditis tropicalis correlates with geography

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-04-08

  articleOpen access

  Self-fertilization reduces genetic diversity compared to outcrossing and hypothetically decreases the ability to adapt to diverse environments. Among Caenorhabditis nematodes, self-fertilization evolved three times independently in Caenorhabditis elegans, Caenorhabditis briggsae, and the more recently discovered Caenorhabditis tropicalis. To survey C. tropicalis genetic relatedness, the influence of geography and niche on species-wide variation, and the signatures of selection, we collected 785 wild strains, sequenced their genomes, and identified 622 distinct genotypes (isotypes). In contrast to C. elegans and C. briggsae, C. tropicalis relatedness shows substantial association with geography and no transcontinental selective sweeps or broadly sampled isotypes. Populations from the Hawaiian Islands or Taiwan harbor more genetic variation than populations from the Caribbean or Americas, suggesting a Pacific species origin similar to other members of the Elegans subclade. Punctuated genomic regions of extreme genetic variation pervade the genome. These hyper-divergent regions (HDRs) comprise less than 6% of the reference genome in any given strain despite harboring 73% of all variant sites and are enriched for genes likely involved in environmental adaptation. HDRs represent a shared genomic feature of self-fertilizing Caenorhabditis nematodes despite their independent evolutionary origins and suggest a mechanism to explain worldwide distributions despite low species-wide levels of genetic variation.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• High-efficiency homology-directed insertion into the genome using the engineered homing endonuclease ARCUS

  Nucleic Acids Research · 2025-09-23 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Several gene editing tools have entered the clinic, representing varied options for eliminating or correcting mutations. Although gene editing by homologous recombination (HR) can potentially accomplish any type of gene edit (insertions, deletions, and replacements), as the outcome is defined by a recombinant repair template, gene editing enzymes that support efficient HR are rare. ARCUS nucleases, engineered from the homing endonuclease I-CreI, have programmable sequence specificity and support precise, high-frequency transgene insertion. In this study, we demonstrate that the 3' overhangs that ARCUS nucleases generate when cutting DNA are key to triggering high rates of HR. We show that a single editor can be used to accomplish the full range of currently understood DNA editing approaches, allowing all combinations of single base changes, introducing small, specific deletions, small and large insertions, and the ability to replace large segments of genomic DNA with efficiencies ranging from 60% to 90% in lymphocytes. ARCUS also supports precise, efficient insertion (30%-40%) in noncycling hepatocytes via nonclassical HR pathways. Collectively, this work characterizes a flexible and efficient gene insertion system for potential therapeutic use.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• RHO1-2 meganuclease gene editing targets human P23H rhodopsin-induced retinitis pigmentosa to rejuvenate rods and maintain cones

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-09-25

  preprintOpen access

  ABSTRACT Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) is an inherited retinal dystrophy characterized by progressive vision loss and eventual blindness. The P23H mutation (proline to histidine substitution at codon 23) in the rhodopsin (RHO) gene represents the most common form of adRP in North Americans. Currently, there is no cure for P23H adRP. Genome editing targeting the mutant RHO allele, leaving a functional wildtype (WT) allele, is an attractive approach for P23H adRP, as only one copy of RHO is needed for normal retinal function. We re-engineered an I-Cre meganuclease, called RHO1-2, to target a 22bp recognition sequence encompassing the mutation responsible for the p.P23H RHO mutation. In vitro , RHO1-2, cuts human P23H RHO but not WT RHO. In vivo, we delivered scAAV5:GRK1:RHO1-2 via subretinal injection in early-stage degeneration using the only large animal model of human p.P23H RHO adRP (TgP23H pigs). We tested RHO1-2 efficacy and durability, on retinal function using full-field electroretinograms and on retinal structure using spectral domain optical coherence tomography and immunohistochemistry. We observe that RHO1-2 treatment: arrests rod photoreceptor degeneration, resurrects rod-driven retinal function that does not exist in untreated TgP23H pigs, restores mislocalized rhodopsin expression and rebuilds rod inner and outer segments (IS/OS). Rod rescue maintains cones. A year after RHO1-2 treatment, we show that TgP23H pigs use rod-driven vision to navigate a maze. Our results demonstrate that genome editing via RHO1-2 meganuclease is a viable treatment to cure human p.P23H RHO adRP. They also suggest that meganuclease-based editors can be effective for other IRDs. One Sentence Summary Engineered meganuclease, RHO1-2 is a safe and promising therapeutic genome editing approach to cure human p.P23H RHO adRP.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• CaeNDR, the <i>Caenorhabditis</i> Natural Diversity Resource

  Nucleic Acids Research · 2023-10-19 · 83 citations

  articleOpen access

  Studies of model organisms have provided important insights into how natural genetic differences shape trait variation. These discoveries are driven by the growing availability of genomes and the expansive experimental toolkits afforded to researchers using these species. For example, Caenorhabditis elegans is increasingly being used to identify and measure the effects of natural genetic variants on traits using quantitative genetics. Since 2016, the C. elegans Natural Diversity Resource (CeNDR) has facilitated many of these studies by providing an archive of wild strains, genome-wide sequence and variant data for each strain, and a genome-wide association (GWA) mapping portal for the C. elegans community. Here, we present an updated platform, the Caenorhabditis Natural Diversity Resource (CaeNDR), that enables quantitative genetics and genomics studies across the three Caenorhabditis species: C. elegans, C. briggsae and C. tropicalis. The CaeNDR platform hosts several databases that are continually updated by the addition of new strains, whole-genome sequence data and annotated variants. Additionally, CaeNDR provides new interactive tools to explore natural variation and enable GWA mappings. All CaeNDR data and tools are accessible through a freely available web portal located at caendr.org.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Natural genetic variation in the pheromone production of <i>C. elegans</i>

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2023-06-20 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  From bacterial quorum sensing to human language, communication is essential for social interactions. Nematodes produce and sense pheromones to communicate among individuals and respond to environmental changes. These signals are encoded by different types and mixtures of ascarosides, whose modular structures further enhance the diversity of this nematode pheromone language. Interspecific and intraspecific differences in this ascaroside pheromone language have been described previously, but the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms underlying the variation remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed natural variation in the production of 44 ascarosides across 95 wild Caenorhabditis elegans strains using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry. We discovered wild strains defective in the production of specific subsets of ascarosides ( e.g. , the aggregation pheromone icas#9) or short- and medium-chain ascarosides, as well as inversely correlated patterns between the production of two major classes of ascarosides. We investigated genetic variants that are significantly associated with the natural differences in the composition of the pheromone bouquet, including rare genetic variants in key enzymes participating in ascaroside biosynthesis, such as the peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, daf-22 , and the carboxylesterase cest-3 . Genome-wide association mappings revealed genomic loci harboring common variants that affect ascaroside profiles. Our study yields a valuable dataset for investigating the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of chemical communication.

  PublisherDOI

• Evaluating the power and limitations of genome-wide association studies in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>

  G3 Genes Genomes Genetics · 2022-05-10 · 38 citations

  articleOpen access

  Quantitative genetics in Caenorhabditis elegans seeks to identify naturally segregating genetic variants that underlie complex traits. Genome-wide association studies scan the genome for individual genetic variants that are significantly correlated with phenotypic variation in a population, or quantitative trait loci. Genome-wide association studies are a popular choice for quantitative genetic analyses because the quantitative trait loci that are discovered segregate in natural populations. Despite numerous successful mapping experiments, the empirical performance of genome-wide association study has not, to date, been formally evaluated in C. elegans. We developed an open-source genome-wide association study pipeline called NemaScan and used a simulation-based approach to provide benchmarks of mapping performance in collections of wild C. elegans strains. Simulated trait heritability and complexity determined the spectrum of quantitative trait loci detected by genome-wide association studies. Power to detect smaller-effect quantitative trait loci increased with the number of strains sampled from the C. elegans Natural Diversity Resource. Population structure was a major driver of variation in mapping performance, with populations shaped by recent selection exhibiting significantly lower false discovery rates than populations composed of more divergent strains. We also recapitulated previous genome-wide association studies of experimentally validated quantitative trait variants. Our simulation-based evaluation of performance provides the community with critical context to pursue quantitative genetic studies using the C. elegans Natural Diversity Resource to elucidate the genetic basis of complex traits in C. elegans natural populations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <i>C. elegans</i> toxicant responses vary among genetically diverse individuals

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2022-07-20 · 3 citations

  preprintOpen access

  ABSTRACT Comprehensive chemical hazard risk evaluations require reproducible, efficient, and informative experimental workflows in tractable model systems that allow for high replication within exposure cohorts. Additionally, the genetic variability of toxicant responses among individuals in humans and mammalian models requires practically untenable sample sizes. Caenorhabditis elegans is a premier toxicology model that has revolutionized our understanding of cellular responses to environmental pollutants and boasts robust genomic resources and high levels of genetic variation across the species. In this study, we performed dose-response analysis across 23 environmental toxicants using eight C. elegans strains representative of species-wide genetic diversity. We observed substantial variation in EC10 estimates and slope parameter estimates of dose-response curves of different strains, demonstrating that genetic background is a significant driver of differential toxicant susceptibility. We also showed that, across all toxicants, at least one C. elegans strain exhibited a significantly different EC10 or slope estimate compared to the reference strain, N2 (PD1074), indicating that population-wide differences among strains are necessary to understand responses to toxicants. Moreover, we quantified the heritability of responses to each toxicant dose and observed a correlation between the dose closest to the species-agnostic EC10 estimate and the dose that exhibited the most heritable response. Taken together, these results provide robust evidence that heritable genetic variation explains differential susceptibility across an array of environmental pollutants and that genetically diverse C. elegans strains should be deployed to aid high-throughput toxicological screening efforts.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• C. elegans toxicant responses vary among genetically diverse individuals

  Toxicology · 2022-08-19 · 35 citations

  articleOpen access

  The genetic variability of toxicant responses among indisviduals in humans and mammalian models requires practically untenable sample sizes to create comprehensive chemical hazard risk evaluations. To address this need, tractable model systems enable reproducible and efficient experimental workflows to collect high-replication measurements of exposure cohorts. Caenorhabditis elegans is a premier toxicology model that has revolutionized our understanding of cellular responses to environmental pollutants and boasts robust genomic resources and high levels of genetic variation across the species. In this study, we performed dose-response analysis across 23 environmental toxicants using eight C. elegans strains representative of species-wide genetic diversity. We observed substantial variation in EC10 estimates and slope parameter estimates of dose-response curves of different strains, demonstrating that genetic background is a significant driver of differential toxicant susceptibility. We also showed that, across all toxicants, at least one C. elegans strain exhibited a significantly different EC10 or slope estimate compared to the reference strain, N2 (PD1074), indicating that population-wide differences among strains are necessary to understand responses to toxicants. Moreover, we quantified the heritability of responses (phenotypic variance attributable to genetic differences between individuals) to each toxicant exposure and observed a correlation between the exposure closest to the species-agnostic EC10 estimate and the exposure that exhibited the most heritable response. At least 20% of the variance in susceptibility to at least one exposure level of each compound was explained by genetic differences among the eight C. elegans strains. Taken together, these results provide robust evidence that heritable genetic variation explains differential susceptibility across an array of environmental pollutants and that genetically diverse C. elegans strains should be deployed to aid high-throughput toxicological screening efforts.

  PublisherDOI

• Using population selection and sequencing to characterize natural variation of starvation resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans

  eLife · 2022-06-21 · 12 citations

  articleOpen access

  Starvation resistance is important to disease and fitness, but the genetic basis of its natural variation is unknown. Uncovering the genetic basis of complex, quantitative traits such as starvation resistance is technically challenging. We developed a synthetic-population (re)sequencing approach using molecular inversion probes (MIP-seq) to measure relative fitness during and after larval starvation in Caenorhabditis elegans . We applied this competitive assay to 100 genetically diverse, sequenced, wild strains, revealing natural variation in starvation resistance. We confirmed that the most starvation-resistant strains survive and recover from starvation better than the most starvation-sensitive strains using standard assays. We performed genome-wide association (GWA) with the MIP-seq trait data and identified three quantitative trait loci (QTL) for starvation resistance, and we created near isogenic lines (NILs) to validate the effect of these QTL on the trait. These QTL contain numerous candidate genes including several members of the Insulin/EGF Receptor-L Domain ( irld ) family. We used genome editing to show that four different irld genes have modest effects on starvation resistance. Natural variants of irld-39 and irld-52 affect starvation resistance, and increased resistance of the irld-39; irld-52 double mutant depends on daf-16/FoxO . DAF-16/FoxO is a widely conserved transcriptional effector of insulin/IGF signaling (IIS), and these results suggest that IRLD proteins modify IIS, although they may act through other mechanisms as well. This work demonstrates efficacy of using MIP-seq to dissect a complex trait and it suggests that irld genes are natural modifiers of starvation resistance in C. elegans .

  PublisherDOI

• Natural genetic variation in the pheromone production of <i>C. elegans</i>

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2022-11-25 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen access

  Abstract From bacterial quorum sensing to human language, communication is essential for social interactions. Nematodes produce and sense pheromones to communicate among individuals and respond to environmental changes. These signals are encoded by different types and mixtures of ascarosides, whose modular structures further enhance the diversity of this nematode pheromone language. Interspecific and intraspecific differences in this ascaroside pheromone language have been described previously, but the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms underlying the variation remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed natural variation in the production of 44 ascarosides across 95 wild Caenorhabditis elegans strains using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS). By cross-analyzing genomes and exo -metabolomes of wild strains, we discovered quantitative trait loci (QTL) that underlie the natural differences in pheromone bouquet composition. Fine mapping of the QTL further uncovered associations between mitochondrial metabolism and pheromone production. Our findings demonstrate how natural genetic variation in core metabolic pathways can affect the production of social signals.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Erik C. Andersen

  Johns Hopkins University

  26 shared

• Robyn E. Tanny

  Johns Hopkins University

  13 shared

• Lewis Stevens

  Wellcome Sanger Institute

  11 shared

• Daehan Lee

  Northwestern University

  9 shared

• Shannon C. Brady

  Northwestern University

  8 shared

• Timothy A. Crombie

  Northwestern University

  8 shared

• Stefan Zdraljevic

  University of California, Los Angeles

  8 shared

• Daniel E. Cook

  Google (United States)

  7 shared

Education

• PhD, Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences (IBiS); Molecular Biosciences

  Northwestern University

  2020

• H.B.A, College of Science

  University of Utah

  2015

Awards & honors

• Robert Mayo Memorial Prize for Best English 300 Paper
• Robert Dentler Memorial Prizes
• Jean Meyer Aloe Poetry Prize from The American Academy of Po…
• J. Scott Clark Award for Outstanding Aptitude in Creative Wr…
• Helen G. Scott Prizes