KB Butler went to Drake University and earned her BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with minors in Chemistry and Biology. She got her research start in Analytical Chemistry and slowly made her way into the world of Immunology! In the Cyndari lab, she investigates inflammatory arthritis and the changes it makes to the synovium. The synovium is a thin deformable tissue surrounding the joint, also known as the joint capsule. Synovitis (inflammation of the synovium) causes cartilage damage. Cartilage damage can cause significance decrease in quality of life, impaired movement and chronic pain. She aims to investigate the underlying signaling pathways in synovitis with the overall goal of preventing cartilage damage.