Alexandra McCarron

Dr Alexandra McCarron

Grant-Funded Researcher (B)

Robinson Research Institute

College of Health

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

I am a Future Making Research Fellow within the Robinson Research Institute and co-director of the Cystic Fibrosis Airway Research Group (CFARG). Our team is located within the Department of Respiratory Medicine at the Women's and Children's Hospital. 

My research goals

I am passionate about advancing research into cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease treatment and developing innovative airway-directed genetic therapies. Airway gene-addition therapy aims to address the root cause of CF by correcting the underlying genetic defect. By delivering functional copies of the CF gene to airway cells, this therapy can restore normal airway function and preserve lung health.

Despite the promise of genetic therapies for CF, there remain significant challenges, particularly in achieving efficient delivery of these therapies to the target airway cells. My research focuses on developing novel strategies to enhance the uptake and effectiveness of genetic therapies in the airways, with the ultimate goal of overcoming these barriers and advancing treatment options to the clinic.

I also have a strong interest in airway stem cells—exploring their potential as targets for gene therapy and their application in stem-cell transplantation as an alternative approach for treating CF lung disease. 

Student projects

I have research projects available for PhD, Masters (MPhil or Masters in Biotechnology) and Honours students. 

The skills developed during these projects can include: rodent handling, airway gene delivery techniques, tissue collection, histology, immunohistochemistry, cell culture, flow cytometry, gene vector production, microscopy, data collection, analysis and interpretation.

Date Institution name Country Title
2021 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD in Medicine
2015 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)
2014 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Animal Science)

Year Citation
2025 Rout-Pitt, N., Boog, B., McCarron, A., Reyne, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2025). Insights into epithelial-mesenchymal transition from cystic fibrosis rat models. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis, 24(1), 149-156.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
2025 Feizi, S., Cooksley, C. M., Reyne, N., Boog, B., Finnie, J., Shaghayegh, G., . . . Vreugde, S. (2025). An immunocompetent rat model of Mycobacterium abscessus multinodular granulomatous lung infection. Tuberculosis, 152, 102629-1-102629-8.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC1
2024 McCarron, A., Surolia, R., & Ruffini, L. (2024). Editorial: Model organisms in respiratory pharmacology 2023. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15.
DOI Scopus2
2024 Ousingsawat, J., Centeio, R., Reyne, N., McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Schreiber, R., . . . Kunzelmann, K. (2024). Inhibition of mucus secretion by niclosamide and benzbromarone in airways and intestine. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 1464-1-1464-12.
DOI Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC6
2024 Reyne, N., Cmielewski, P., McCarron, A., Smith, R., Eikelis, N., Pirakalathanan, P., . . . Donnelley, M. (2024). Effect of elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor on nasal potential difference and lung function in Phe508del rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, 1-7.
DOI Scopus5 WoS7 Europe PMC8
2024 McCarron, A., Ling, K. -M., Montgomery, S. T., Martinovich, K. M., Cmielewski, P., Rout-Pitt, N., . . . Donnelley, M. (2024). Lentiviral vector gene therapy and CFTR modulators show comparable effectiveness in cystic fibrosis rat airway models. Gene Therapy, 31(11-12), 553-559.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Smith, R., Morgan, K. S., McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Reyne, N., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2024). Ultra-fastin-vivodirectional dark-field x-ray imaging for visualising magnetic control of particles for airway gene delivery. Phys Med Biol, 69(10), 105025-1-105025-11.
DOI Scopus2 WoS1 Europe PMC1
2024 Reyne, N., Cmielewski, P., McCarron, A., Smith, R., Schneider-Futschik, E., Eikelis, N., . . . Donnelley, M. (2024). Corrigendum: Effect of elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor on nasal potential difference and lung function in Phe508del rats(Front. Pharmacol., (2024), 15, (1362325), 10.3389/fphar.2024.1362325). Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15, 1428213.
DOI Scopus2
2023 Reyne, N., McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2023). To bead or not to bead: A review of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection models for cystic fibrosis. FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY, 14, 13 pages.
DOI Scopus24 WoS22 Europe PMC20
2023 Shrestha, N., Rout-Pitt, N., McCarron, A., Jackson, C. A., Bulmer, A. C., McAinch, A. J., . . . Hryciw, D. H. (2023). Changes in Essential Fatty Acids and Ileal Genes Associated with Metabolizing Enzymes and Fatty Acid Transporters in Rodent Models of Cystic Fibrosis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(8), 7194-1-7194-10.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2023 Donnelley, M., Cmielewski, P., Knight, E., Carpentieri, C., McCarron, A., Rout-Pitt, N., . . . Farrow, N. (2023). Repeat or single-dose lentiviral vector administration to mouse lungs? It’s all about the timing. Gene Therapy, 30(9), 1-8.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC5
2023 McCarron, A. (2023). Slow and steady wins the race: Optimizing lentiviral vector production for efficient clinical-scale manufacturing. Molecular Therapy - Methods and Clinical Development, 30, 484-485.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2023 McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Drysdale, V., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2023). Effective viral-mediated lung gene therapy: is airway surface preparation necessary?. Gene Therapy, 30(6), 469-477.
DOI Scopus24 WoS21 Europe PMC22
2022 Donnelley, M., Cmielewski, P., Morgan, K., Delhove, J., Reyne, N., McCarron, A., . . . Parsons, D. (2022). Improved in-vivo airway gene transfer via magnetic-guidance, with protocol development informed by synchrotron imaging. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 9000-1-9000-14.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2 Europe PMC2
2022 Drysdale, V., Cmielewski, P., Donnelley, M., Reyne, N., Parsons, D., & McCarron, A. (2022). Comparison of physical perturbation devices for enhancing lentiviral vector-mediated gene transfer to the airway epithelium.. Human Gene Therapy, 33(19-20), 1062-1072.
DOI
2022 Shrestha, N., McCarron, A., Rout-Pitt, N., Donnelley, M., Parsons, D. W., & Hryciw, D. H. (2022). Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency in Cystic Fibrosis Disease Progression: Role of Genotype and Sex. Nutrients, 14(21), 4666.
DOI Scopus8 WoS9 Europe PMC9
2021 Mc Carron, A., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2021). Animal and cell culture models for cystic fibrosis: which model is right for your application?. American Journal of Pathology, 191(2), 228-242.
DOI Scopus67 WoS62 Europe PMC59
2021 Carpentieri, C. L., Farrow, N. R., Cmielewski, P., Rout-Pitt, N., Mc Carron, A., Knight, E., . . . Donnelley, M. (2021). The effects of conditioning and lentiviral vector pseudotype on short- and long-term airway reporter gene expression in mice.. Human Gene Therapy, 32(15-16), 817-827.
DOI Scopus4 WoS5 Europe PMC4
2021 Mc Carron, A., Farrow, N., Cmielewski, P., Knight, E., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2021). Breaching the delivery barrier: Chemical and physical airway epithelium disruption strategies for enhancing lentiviral-mediated gene therapy. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 669635-1-669635-11.
DOI Scopus7 WoS7 Europe PMC7
2021 Reyne, N., Cmielewski, P., Mc Carron, A., Delhove, J., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2021). Single-dose lentiviral mediated gene therapy recovers CFTR function in cystic fibrosis knockout rats. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 682299-1-682299-8.
DOI Scopus11 WoS10 Europe PMC11
2020 Gardner, M., Parsons, D., Morgan, K. S., McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Gradl, R., & Donnelley, M. (2020). Towards automated <i>in vivo</i> tracheal mucociliary transport measurement: detecting and tracking particle movement in synchrotron phase-contrast X-ray images. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 65(14), 145012-1-145012-17.
DOI Scopus7 Europe PMC3
2020 McCarron, A., Cmielewski, P., Reyne, N., McIntyre, C., Finnie, J., Craig, F., . . . Donnelley, M. (2020). Phenotypic characterization and comparison of Phe508del and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) knockout rat models of cystic fibrosis generated by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. The American Journal of Pathology, 190(5), 977-993.
DOI Scopus37 WoS34 Europe PMC35
2020 Morgan, K. S., Parsons, D., Cmielewski, P., McCarron, A., Gradl, R., Farrow, N., . . . Donnelley, M. (2020). Methods for dynamic synchrotron X-ray respiratory imaging in live animals. Journal of synchrotron radiation, 27(Pt 1), 164-175.
DOI Scopus29 WoS25 Europe PMC18
2019 McCarron, A., Donnelley, M., McIntyre, C., & Parsons, D. (2019). Transient lentiviral vector production using a packed-bed bioreactor system. Human Gene Therapy Methods, 30(3), 93-101.
DOI Scopus23 WoS22 Europe PMC22
2019 Gardner, M. T., McCarron, A., Morgan, K., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2019). Particle coating alters mucociliary transit in excised rat trachea: A synchrotron X-ray imaging study. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 10983-1-10983-10.
DOI Scopus6 WoS3 Europe PMC3
2018 Rout-Pitt, N. B., McCarron, A., McIntyre, C., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2018). Large-scale production of lentiviral vectors using multilayer cell factories. Journal of Biological Methods, 5(2), e90-1-e90-9.
DOI Europe PMC21
2018 McCarron, A., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2018). Airway disease phenotypes in animal models of cystic fibrosis. Respiratory Research, 19(1), 54-1-54-12.
DOI Scopus70 WoS68 Europe PMC61
2017 McCarron, A., Donnelley, M., & Parsons, D. (2017). Scale-up of lentiviral vectors for gene therapy: advances and challenges. Cell and Gene Therapy Insights, 3(9), 719-729.
DOI
2016 McCarron, A., Donnelley, M., McIntyre, C., & Parsons, D. (2016). Challenges of up-scaling lentivirus production and processing. Journal of Biotechnology, 240, 23-30.
DOI Scopus99 WoS88 Europe PMC75

Year Citation
2023 Rout-Pitt, N., Mc Carron, A., Boog, B., Parsons, D., & Donnelley, M. (2023). A twist in the cystic fibrosis story—TGF-β1 treatment affects epithelialmesenchymal transition differentially in two cystic fibrosis rat airway cell models. Poster session presented at the meeting of North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference.

Year Citation
2024 McCarron, A., Ling, K. -M., Montgomery, S., Martinovich, K., Cmielewski, P., Rout-Pitt, N., . . . Donnelley, M. (2024). Lentiviral vector gene therapy and CFTR modulators show comparable effectiveness in cystic fibrosis rat airway models.
DOI

2025     A. McCarron, N. Rout-Pitt, N. Reyne, D. M. Donnelley, Cystic Fibrosis Australia Conquer CF Genetic Therapies Grant. “Delivery: the final barrier to overcome for effective cystic fibrosis airway gene therapy”, $80,000.

2025     N. Rout-Pitt, A. McCarron, M. Donnelley, Cystic Fibrosis Australia Conquer CF Genetic Therapies Grant. “Improving CFTR gene therapy by ensuring airway cells exist in an epithelial state”, $80,000.

2024     N. Rout-Pitt, A. McCarron, N. Reyne, D. Parsons. M. Donnelley. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, "Unravelling the Role of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease: Insights, Challenges, and Therapeutic Prospects", $175,000.

2024     P. Asare, C. A Foakwah, B. Ahinkorah, A. McCarron, S. Sterling. Medical Research Future Fund, “Effectiveness of Zinc Supplementation in Respiratory Infections in COPD patients: A randomised control trial”, $990,064.

2024     A. McCarron, R. Smith, K. Morgan, D. Parsons, M. Donnelley. Cystic Fibrosis Geelong Genetic Therapies Innovation Grant, “Harnessing the power of magnets: Improved effectiveness of airway gene therapy for the treatment of cystic fibrosis lung disease”, $80,000.

2023     E. Schneider-Futschik, J. Bourke, D. Parsons, H. Chinnery. J. Taylor-Cousar, P. Middleton, A. McCarron and N. Reyne. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation “Delaying the onset of cystic fibrosis pathologies” $282,000

2023     A. McCarron, N. Reyne. P. Cmielewski, M. Donnelley, D. Parsons. Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation. “Does the presence of lung infection impact the efficacy of cystic fibrosis airway gene therapy?” $40,060.

2022     M. Donnelley, D. Parsons, A. McCarron, C. Christou, T. Goddard. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Effective delivery of genetic therapeutics for cystic fibrosis airway disease”, $307,512 USD (~$462,000 AUD).

2020     A. McCarron, P. Cmielewski, M. Donnelley, D. Parsons. Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Airway gene correction in neonatal cystic fibrosis rats”, $100,000.

2017     M. Donnelley, N. Farrow, P Cmielewski, A. McCarron, D. Parsons. Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation. “Effective re-dosing protocols for lasting cystic fibrosis lentiviral airway gene therapy”, $75,240.

2017     M. Donnelley, C. McIntyre, N. Rout-Pitt, A. McCarron, D. Parsons. Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation. “Improving the efficiency of cystic fibrosis airway gene therapy”, $74,213.

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2024 Co-Supervisor Developing an effective airway stem cell therapy for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis lung disease Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Stuti Saini
2023 Co-Supervisor Understanding and improving gene vector targeting with lentiviral magnetic nanoparticles Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Part Time Ms Madison Michelle Davis

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Novel Tools and Models for In-vivo Assessment of Lung Health in Cystic Fibrosis Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Nikki Reyne

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