Laura Marquez Loza, M6G
![]() |
MSTP Learning Community: Boulware MSTP Entry Date: June 8, 2015 |
PhD Program: Molecular Medicine |
Mentor: Paul McCray, MD |
Codon Optimization of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator to Enhance Therapeutic Gene Expression
Thesis Defense: May 19, 2021
Committees:
2015 Fall - MAS I Medical Student Liaison Committee
2019 Fall-present - GPSG Grants Reviewing Committee
2017-2018 - APSA Midwest Regional Meeting Planning Committee
2019-present - MSTP Applicant Task Force
2019-present - Retreat & I Heart Science Committee
Awards:
2018 - American Physician Scientist Association Midwest Regional Meeting – Poster award
2018 - Pediatric Research Day – Basic Science Poster Award
2018 - Graduate College Underrepresentative Minory Pre-Comprehensive Mentored Summer Research Fellowship
2019 - American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy – URM Travel Award
2020 - American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy – URM Travel Award towards travel to next year’s meeting
2020 - Fellowship Award F31HL1500-01
Individual Funding Awards:
07/10/2020 - 07/09/2024
F31 HL152500 - (National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute)
Advancing lentiviral gene therapy for cystic fibrosis
Teaching:
2017-2019 - Step 1 Tutor group
2019 Jan - UI Health Care STEM Night at the Iowa Children's Museum
2019 Spring - TA for course MMED:6226 Cell Cycle Control
2019 Spring - TA for course MMED:6227 Cell Fate and Decisions
2019 Spring - TA for course MMED:6225 Growth Factor and Receptor Signaling
Education:
2008 - BS, Wood Science & Technology - Oregon State University
Publications:
Cooney AL, Singh BK, Loza LM, Thornell IM, Hippee CE, Powers LS, Ostedgaard LS, Meyerholz DK, Wohlford-Lenane C, Stoltz DA, B McCray P Jr, Sinn PL. Widespread airway distribution and short-term phenotypic correction of cystic fibrosis pigs following aerosol delivery of piggyBac/adenovirus. Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Oct 12;46(18):9591-9600. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky773. PubMed PMID: 30165523; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6182177
Marquez Loza LI, Yuen EC, McCray PB Jr. Lentiviral Vectors for the Treatment and Prevention of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease. Genes (Basel). 2019 Mar 14;10(3). Doi: 10.3390/genes10030218. Review. PubMed PMID: 30875857; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6471883.
Marquez Loza LI, Cooney AL, Dong Q, Randak CO, Rivella S, Sinn PL, McCray PB Jr. Increased CFTR expression and function from an optimized lentiviral vector for cystic fibrosis gene therapy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 2021 Feb 27;21:94-106. doi: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.02.020. PMID: 33768133; PMCID: PMC7973238.