Ashley Thompson, B.S.

Ashley Thompson, B.S., joined CGB as a postbaccalaureate fellow through the NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program in 2018. Ms. Thompson earned her B.S. in biochemistry from Converse College, Spartanburg, South Carolina. Her undergraduate research focused on analyzing the molecular weight distribution of a commercially-available synthetic biocide, in order to ascertain its biological efficacy.

Ms. Thompson is working with Sharon A. Savage, M.D., Branch Director and senior investigator, to determine if novel genetic variants in the regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 gene (RTEL1) will result in alternative isoforms of the protein. The novel genetic variants will be studied for functional changes or changes in gene expression using RNA sequencing from patient-derived samples. Ms. Thompson is also involved with other genomic efforts in the Inherited Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes Study. She hopes to attend medical school to obtain her M.D./Ph.D. after her time at the NCI.