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Profiles

 

Symposium 2008:

Rossanne Philen, M.D., M.S.
Captain, U.S. Public Health Service, Regular Corps, Medical Director of the Epidemic Information Exchange (Epi-X) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; SWSM Symposium Keynote Speaker 2006
Kathryn C. Thornton '74, Ph.D.

Former NASA Astronaut, Associate Dean and Professor, University of Virginia; SWSM Symposium Keynote Speaker 2007

 

Kelly Moreland – Student Research Fellowship Recipient 2006-2007

Major - Molecular Biology
Mentors - Doug Martin, Marie Wooten

Gene therapy is a promising method of correcting disease-causing genetic mutations throughout the body, including the central nervous system.

Miss Moreland's research is an integral part of a project whose ultimate goal is to perform gene therapy for an inherited neurological disease known as gangliosidosis, which occurs in humans and animals. Individuals affected with gangliosidosis have an enzyme deficiency that leads to toxic buildup of lipids in the nervous system. Miss Moreland is testing the stability and utility of several forms of the missing enzyme to identify the best candidate for gene therapy.

 

Laura Silo-Suh - Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Silo-Suh's research deals with host microbe interactions, particularly, the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa in conjunction with its ability to infect cystic fibrosis patients.

Silo-Suh’s laboratory is looking at the mechanisms that promote alterations in P. aeruginosa, the nature of the alterations at the molecular level and the effect these alterations have on the physiology and behavior of the bacteria. If she and her research team are able to pinpoint certain weaknesses, then therapies could be developed to treat the infection.