About

Kate Smith is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science and (by courtesy) Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northwestern University. Her active research areas within quantum computing include computer architecture, distributed computing, optimized compilation, error mitigation, simulation, and security. Prior to joining Northwestern CS in January 2024, she managed the software engineering team at Infleqtion, responsible for maintaining Superstaq, a physics-aware quantum compiler, and directed research and development projects related to optimized compilation, error mitigation, and simulation of quantum programs on various quantum technology platforms. From January 2020 to September 2022, she was a CQE/IBM postdoctoral scholar within the University of Chicago Department of Computer Science, where she was part of the Enabling Practical-Scale Quantum Computing (EPiQC) group. Kate holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, all from Southern Methodist University. She has co-authored more than 25 peer-reviewed papers and has received several awards, including the 2021 MIT EECS Rising Star and the 2021 IEEE Computer Society TC-MVL Kenneth C. Smith Early Career Award in Microelectronics. She has served on numerous conference technical program committees and co-organized workshops related to quantum computing.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Political Science
• Internal medicine
• Environmental health
• Virology
• Medical education
• Law
• Family medicine
• Gerontology
• Immunology
• Biology
• Public relations
• Clinical psychology
• Psychology

Selected publications

• Fontana–Masson Staining in Aneurysmal and Hemosiderotic Dermatofibromas: A Study of 79 Cases

  Journal of Cutaneous Pathology · 2026-01-04

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: A dermatofibroma is a common benign cutaneous neoplasm composed of variable combinations of fibroblasts, histiocytes, and coarse collagen fibers. The aneurysmal/hemosiderotic (HDF/ADF) subtypes have characteristic pseudo-vascular spaces with hemosiderin-laden histiocytes and reactive spindled and epithelioid cells. These subtypes histologically can resemble melanocytic and vascular tumors, sometimes necessitating the use of immunohistochemical and histochemical stains to appropriately differentiate these entities. To our knowledge, Fontana-Masson staining has not previously been investigated in HDF/ADF. METHODS: A search of the SLUCare Dermatopathology Laboratory Information System was performed to identify cases signed out as aneurysmal and/or hemosiderotic dermatofibroma. These were then stained with Fontana-Masson stain and SOX-10 or S100 protein and evaluated by two board-certified dermatopathologists. RESULTS: A total of 79 cases were included, 48 females and 31 males aged between 12 and 84 years. Ninety-five percent of ADF and 98% of HDF cases were positive for Fontana-Masson stain. SOX-10 or S100 protein stain was negative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that HDF/ADF stain with Fontana-Masson suggests the presence of melanin in these dermatofibroma subtypes, although Fontana-Masson is not entirely specific for melanin. These findings indicate that ADF/HDF are often highlighted by Fontana-Masson, suggesting that Fontana-Masson may not be a reliable tool for distinguishing HDF/ADF from melanocytic lesions. SOX-10/S100 may be useful in differentiating HDF/ADF from melanocytic lesions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Rare Case of Conjunctival Pseudoglandular Hyperplasia Identified During Mohs Micrographic Surgery of an Infraorbital Basal Cell Carcinoma

  Journal of Cutaneous Pathology · 2026-04-01

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  A 38-year-old white male presented for Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS) consultation with a biopsy proven basal cell carcinoma (BCC) on the right infraorbital cheek encroaching upon the lower eyelid. During MMS, glandular proliferation and goblet cell hyperplasia were visualized on histologic sections, raising concern for an adnexal or mucinous carcinoma. Following referral for expert dermatopathological consultation, a final diagnosis of pseudoglandular hyperplasia of the conjunctiva (PHC) in the setting of chronic conjunctivitis was made, likely having developed in response to longstanding irritation from the nearby BCC. This case represents only the sixth reported case of PHC in the literature and the first identified incidentally during MMS of an adjacent cutaneous neoplasm. PHC is an uncommon, benign reactive proliferation characterized by invagination of the conjunctival epithelium into the stroma, forming gland-like structures. Due to its histological resemblance to invasive neoplasms, such as mucoepidermoid carcinoma, PHC poses a significant diagnostic and clinical conundrum. Only a handful of cases of PHC have been described and a diagnostic framework has yet to be sufficiently established. This report highlights the importance of increasing the awareness of this benign phenomenon and defining its histologic features to distinguish it from resemblant malignancies and avoid unnecessary surgery.

  PublisherDOI

• Physical therapists should earn continuing education credits for non-clinical skills: a window into the profession and a call to action

  Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy · 2026-03-04

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Eosinophilic, polymorphic, and pruritic eruption associated with radiation treated with dupilumab in a patient with Hodgkin lymphoma

  JAAD Case Reports · 2026-01-12

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• OUTCOMES OF FERTILITY CARE AMONG CANCER SURVIVORS UTILIZING ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY AFTER GONADOTOXIC CANCER TREATMENT

  Fertility and Sterility · 2025-12-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• High completion rates for mail-in sperm cryopreservation across diverse US populations: a prospective cohort study

  Fertility and Sterility · 2025-10-17 · 1 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Recalcitrant Dermatomyositis Treated With Anifrolumab

  ACR Open Rheumatology · 2025-01-01 · 8 citations

  articleOpen access

  Dermatomyositis is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy which can present with distinctive skin features. Despite the many treatment modalities for the treatment of dermatomyositis some patients remain refractory to treatment. We present a case of a 38-year-old man with recalcitrant dermatomyositis who was successfully treated with the interferon α receptor 1-inhibiting monoclonal antibody anifrolumab. Many studies have shown a correlation between dermatomyositis disease activity and the type 1 interferon pathway activity. We believe anifrolumab may be a promising option for severe cutaneous dermatomyositis.

  PublisherDOI

• Prospective survey exploring decision-making among patients pursuing oocyte and/or embryo cryopreservation prior to gonadotoxic therapy: Seeking certainty or harboring hope?

  Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics · 2025-04-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Diffuse Large B‐Cell Lymphoma Transdifferentiating Into Histiocytic Sarcoma: Case Report + Systematic Review

  Journal of Cutaneous Pathology · 2025-12-26

  article

  A 68-year-old man with a history of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with cutaneous involvement presented with a new, rapidly growing, exophytic, bleeding tumor. Histopathologic and immunophenotypic characterization was consistent with a diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma (HS). A subsequent lymph node biopsy also yielded a diagnosis of HS. Genetic analysis of this patient's original DLBCL bone marrow specimen and subsequent lymph node HS specimen identified identical p.G13D KRAS mutations. This case highlights, to our knowledge, the first case of systemic DLBCL with cutaneous involvement linked to transdifferentiated cutaneous HS by identical KRAS mutations. We also include a systematic review of cutaneous HS cases, identifying only two cases with underlying hematologic transdifferentiation. The distinct clinical morphology, histopathologic characteristics, and immunohistochemical markers associated with each of these entities highlight a very rare and unique example of histiocytic transdifferentiation in the context of a hematologic malignancy.

  PublisherDOI

• MAIL-IN SEMEN CRYOPRESERVATION TOOLKIT MITIGATES SYSTEMIC BARRIERS FOR ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT PATIENTS

  Fertility and Sterility · 2025-12-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Teresa K. Woodruff

  Michigan State University

  83 shared

• Lauren Ataman

  Northwestern University

  72 shared

• Antoinette Anazodo

  Sydney Children's Hospital

  62 shared

• Kiran Motaparthi

  University of Florida

  60 shared

• Saskia F. de Roo

  Jeroen Bosch Ziekenhuis

  58 shared

• C. C. M. Beerendonk

  Radboud University Medical Center

  58 shared

• Jennifer J. Schoch

  58 shared

• W. L. D. M. Nelen

  Radboud University Medical Center

  58 shared

Awards & honors

• 2022 IEEE International Symposium on High-Performance Comput…
• 2021 MIT EECS Rising Star
• 2021 IEEE Computer Society Technical Committee on Multiple V…
• Program Chair for the 2022 International Symposium on Multip…