August 31, 2018

Ashley Nicole Turner is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate and Howard Hughes Med-Grad Fellow in the Genetics, Genomics & Bioinformatics Theme of UAB’s Graduate Biomedical Sciences Program and Department of Genetics. She received her B.S. and M.S. in Biology from the University of West Georgia, with her research focusing on population genetics.

Following her degrees, she taught high school science for 3 years in Georgia before transitioning back into research as a Research Professional in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia. In 2013 Ashley began work at UAB towards her doctorate and joined the UAB Neurofibromatosis Program in 2014. Her graduate thesis research focuses on Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) and exploring new developing therapies that directly target the specific underlying genetic mutations in NF1. Her studies hope to assess the ability of nonsense suppression therapies to treat nonsense mutations in an acute Nf1 loss mouse model.

Ashley has remained relentlessly focused and productive in both her research, teaching, and outreach endeavors. Her first co-author publication was highlighted on the cover of Disease, Models & Mechanisms last year. She has received numerous accolades for her research, including 1st place in the UAB Graduate Student Research Exchange Poster Competition. Additionally, Ashley has attended numerous scientific meetings to present her research, and received awards and special honors; including Abstract of Special Merit in Basic Science Category at the 2015 NF Conference and the Reviewers’ Choice Ribbon for Abstract in top 10% at the 2015 American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting. Upon entering UAB, Ashley has continued her interest in teaching and higher education. She has obtained teaching certificates through the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning at UAB that allows STEM graduate students to earn certificates in college teaching. Outside of the lab, Ashley has also been dedicated to outreach and making a difference. She was nominated by her professors to serve on the UAB Graduate Biomedical Student Outreach committee and currently holds the position of Outreach Liaison. In her position the past two years, she has coordinated and organized outreach opportunities for her fellow PhD students at all levels of interest from K-12 to college to the greater community. She also participates in many of these events. Ashley also served on the Alliance for LGBTQ Equity at UAB panel in support and creation of a UAB Student LGBTQ center in our new student center, and served on the steering committee for the new UAB Student LGBTQ Center and hiring of its coordinator. This past year she co-founded the organization GRADient at UAB, an organization dedicated to the pursuit of academic excellence and social and political awareness with respect to LGBTQ+ graduate and professional students, postdoctoral scholars and their allies. She served as president with GRADient at UAB receiving recognition and honors across campus. Ashley was awarded the Lavender Leadership award at the Inaugural Lavender Celebration.

Ashley has a personal commitment to research and teaching excellence, service and helping others. She is among the very top predoctoral researchers of UAB, and promises to succeed in her future career in research and teaching at the collegiate level.