Walker earned a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology and B.S. in Agricultural Journalism (1984) and a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology (1991) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Walker's research interests focus on the roles of cytochrome P450s in the metabolism of xenobiotics and endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the mechanisms by which this regulates vascular function and blood pressure, and contributes to cardiovascular disease. Her laboratory uses preclinical genetically modified mouse models to investigate mechanisms by which aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation by dioxin-like chemicals and cigarette smoke induces vascular dysfunction and hypertension. Further, she conducts translational studies in humans exposed to mainstream and sidestream cigarette smoke to identify potential new biomarkers of vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular disease risk.