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PhD candidate Ashley Cooney successfully defends thesis

On January 9, 2018 Ashley Cooney successfully defended her thesis titled, "Integrating viral vectors as a gene therapy approach for cystic fibrosis”. She is pictured with her mentor Dr. Patrick Sinn.Patrick Sinn and Ashley Cooney

Research

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects multiple organs in the body. People who have CF suffer most from chronic lung disease and mucus plugging in the airways, however, the pancreas, liver, intestines, sweat glands, and male reproductive organs are also affected. To date, there is no cure for this disease. Current treatments for CF include nutritional therapy, antibiotics for lung infections, wearing a vibrating therapy vest to loosen airway mucus, and pulmonary rehabilitation. In advanced lung disease, a lung transplant is the only option for improved quality of life. 

What causes such a debilitating disease? CF is caused by a mutation in a single gene called the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Without this gene, the lining of the airways becomes acidic due to inadequate anion exchange, becoming a breeding ground for bacterial infections and mucus accumulation. Restoring CFTR to the appropriate airway cells corrects the phenotypic defect. The goal of my work was to improve CFTR gene delivery to pig airways. Through this work, we have successfully delivered CFTR and achieved phenotypic correction in CF pigs. We are encouraged that this work could translate to humans and prevent the onset of CF lung disease.  

 

Biographical Sketch

Ashley was born in Eau Claire, WI, and moved to Decorah, IA, at a very young age. She is the oldest of three children born to Randy and LaVonne Peterson. As a young child, Ashley enjoyed playing the piano, participating in dance, and working at her first favorite job, an ice cream shop called The Whippy Dip. She attended Decorah High School where her interest in science began.

After high school, Ashley enrolled at the University of Iowa to pursue a degree in Biology. She also had a passion for studying Spanish. After enrolling in several Spanish courses, she ultimately earned a Spanish minor. She enjoyed practicing her Spanish by volunteering at the Free Medical Clinic and took an interest in pursuing a future in medicine. Near the end of her undergraduate career, Ashley started working as a lab assistant in Dr. Wendy Maury’s laboratory where she gained a greater insight into the wonderful world of research.

In 2010, Ashley began working as a Research Assistant in Dr. Patrick Sinn’s laboratory. She was introduced to gene delivery to mice and pigs and instantly realized she found the intriguing science she had been searching for. She enjoyed doing the experiments and thinking about science. She knew her work in this field was far from complete.

Ashley enrolled in the Department of Microbiology graduate program in fall of 2013. She has worked on developing integrating viral vectors to deliver the cystic fibrosis gene to the airways of pigs. Along with the CF pig team, they have successfully delivered the cystic fibrosis gene to CF pigs using all three viral vector platforms.

Outside of the lab Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, Todd, and their one-year-old son, Ethan. They enjoy spending time with their friends and families, traveling, trying new restaurants, and taking long walks with their dog, Ellie.

Date: 
Wednesday, January 10, 2018