Kaelan Brennan

Kaelan Brennan, PhD (he/him) is a postdoctoral scholar in Dr. Joanna Wysocka’s lab in the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology within the Stanford School of Medicine. Dr. Brennan is broadly interested in the chromatin, epigenomic, and gene regulatory mechanisms that determine cell fate during development. Using genomics approaches and cell culture models, he is specifically focused on understanding how the activity of transcription factors—DNA-binding proteins that shape gene expression programs and guide cell fate decisions—is modulated across different human cell types. A native Midwesterner, Dr. Brennan earned his BS from Purdue University and his PhD from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. As a graduate student, he was deeply involved in community service, including mentoring early-stage PhD students, serving on faculty committees, and helping teach gene regulation courses. Outside the lab, Dr. Brennan enjoys exploring Bay Area cuisine with his partner, running, and playing with his corgi.