Ashleigh Geiger

Ashleigh Geiger

Higher Degree by Research Candidate

School of Biomedicine

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

I am a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate in the Genome Editing Laboratory at SAHMRI, under the supervision of Professor Paul Thomas, Dr Fatwa Adikusuma, and Dr Laurence Wilson (CSIRO, NSW).

My research interests

I am interested in medical molecular genetics, and especially the development and implementation of genome editing strategies for disease therapeutics – using gene editing as medicine.

In addition to being passionate about developing strategies to ameliorate genetic disease pathologies, I am also highly interested in technology optimisation. The transformative gene editing research environment has generated an abundance of new ideas and solutions, but as researchers we are still coming to grips with the associated – sometimes hidden – challenges. I have a keen interest in addressing these challenges and adding to the genome editing toolbox, and hope to eventually contribute to the development of safer and more efficient systems that can be used across a variety of therapeutic applications.

 

Current research project: The development of novel CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing therapies for genetic eye diseases, including autosomal dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa (adRP)

One of the most common inherited eye dystrophies, adRP is genetically heterogeneous and can be caused by a range of mutations found in a range of genes. adRP causes progressive degeneration of photoreceptors (light-sensing cells of the retina), eventually leading to blindness, and there is currently no effective treatment or cure. Using cutting-edge gene editing technology, I am working towards developing a suite of CRISPR/Cas9 therapeutic strategies for genetic eye diseases including adRP, and validating them in pre-clinical models to enhance the translational potential of these strategies.

For this research, I am grateful to be supported by both a RTP Stipend and a CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform postgraduate top-up scholarship.

 

Picture of the members of the Genome Editing Laboratory
Members of the Genome Editing Laboratory, 2020: Ashleigh Geiger, Sandra Piltz, Dr Gelshan Godahewa, Melissa White, Dr Mark Bunting, Chandran Pfitzner, Jayshen Arudkumar, Dr Fatwa Adikusuma, Michaela Scherer, Joshua Chey.

Not pictured: Luke Gierus, Caleb Lushington, Dr Stefka Tahseva, Professor Paul Thomas.

 

 

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2022 Award Keith Dixon prize for the most outstanding poster (developmental biology) at the 2022 COMBIO Conference Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology Australia -
    2022 Award Runner Up - most outstanding student presentation Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology Australia -
    2022 Award BMG Prize for the most outstanding oral presentation by a student Adelaide Protein Group Australia -
    2021 Award Most Outstanding Student Poster, 9th Annual Adelaide Meeting Australia and New Zealand Society for Cell and Developmental Biology Australia -
    2020 Scholarship Research Training Program Stipend The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2020 Scholarship Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform postgraduate top-up scholarship CSIRO Australia -
    2019 Award Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Award Sir Ronald Fisher Prize for Genetics III The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2019 Scholarship Adelaide Summer Research Scholarship The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award School of Biological Sciences Level II Biochemistry Prize The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award School of Biological Sciences Level II Microbiology and Immunology Prize The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2018 Award Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award The University of Adelaide Australia -
    2017 Award Faculty of Sciences Outstanding Academic Achievement Award The University of Adelaide Australia -

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

  • Education
    Date Institution name Country Title
    2020 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine)
    2016 - 2019 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Science (Advanced)
    2015 - 2015 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Music (Honours, 1st class)
    2008 - 2009 University of Melbourne Australia Bachelor of Music
    2006 - 2007 University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor of Music student

  • Research Interests
    Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Biochemistry and Cell Biology Gene and Molecular Therapy Genetics Medical and Health Sciences Medical Biochemistry: Nucleic Acids Medical Biotechnology Medical Genetics

2023

  • Practical demonstrator: Biochemistry IIIA (Molecular and Structural Biology)

 

2022

  • Tutor: Genetics IIA (Foundation of Genetics)
  • Tutor: Genetics IIB (Function and Diversity of Genomes)
  • Tutor and workshop demonstrator: Biomedical Science IIA
  • Guest lecturer and workshop demonstrator: Biomedical Science IIB
  • Practical demonstrator: MBS Practical C

 

2021

  • Tutor: Genetics IIB (Function and Diversity of Genomes)
  • Guest lecturer: Biomedical Science IIB
  • Practical demonstrator: MBS Practicals A, B, and C
  • Practical demonstrator: Biochemistry IIIA (Molecular and Structural Biology)
  • Supervisor: Summer Research Scholarship student
  • Supervisor: Principles and Practice of Research (Advanced) III placement student

 

2020

  • Supervisor: Summer Research Scholarship student
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