Ashley T
- Research Program Mentor
PhD at University of Birmingham
Expertise
Genetics of human health and disease
Bio
Hello, my name is Dr. Ashley Turner and I am a geneticist, molecular biologist, and teacher-scholar in the Department of Teacher Education at Jacksonville State University in Alabama. My teaching endeavors include specialized secondary science education and training pre-service teachers to effectively engage students in grades 6-12 through active, inquiry-based learning, and exposing them to authentic science by incorporating scientific research into their teaching practice. I offer unique research and learning opportunities to students through course-based undergraduate/graduate research experiences (CUREs and CGREs) and mentored research experiences. My research focuses around biology, genetics, and molecular biology related questions. I lead a team of student researchers in The Lab., a research lab utilizing the microscopic roundworm C. elegans as a model system for exploring gene function and evolution and molecular mechanisms of disease. In my spare time, I can be found chilling out in the backyard or hiking on the Pinky E. Burns Trailhead off the Pinhoti with my wife Jo and our two chiweenies and spending time with my mom and family.Project ideas
Evolutionary Conservation Analysis of Disease Associated Missense Variants of Uncertain Significance (VUS) through Caenorhabditis elegans
In this project, you will examine the evolutionary conservation of genetic missense variants of uncertain significance (VUS) loci associated with a particular disease of interest. You will examine the level of conservation of each VUS across multiple species, including human and Caenorhabditis elegans. This series of experiments will allow you to explore and utilize the genome browser Ensembl, the clinical variant database ClinVar, and the bioinformatics platform Benchling. You will gain skills in searching a genome browser and public database for relevant information pertaining to your research question and project and using a bioinformatics tool to import, observe, align, and analyze DNA gene files across multiple species.
Using Citizen Science Data to Investigate Local Biodiversity, and Teach It
How does where we live shape the biodiversity around us, and how can we use real scientific data to teach others about it? In this project, you will investigate patterns of local biodiversity using real-world citizen science data from open databases such as iNaturalist. You will ask an ecological research question (for example, how biodiversity differs across urban, suburban, and green-space locations), analyze authentic datasets, and visualize patterns in species distribution. What makes this project unique is that you won’t stop at analysis. You will also translate your scientific findings into an NGSS-aligned mini-lesson designed for a high school biology or environmental science classroom. This project is ideal for students interested in biology, ecology, data science, environmental science, or STEM education. Students will use citizen science databases and common data analysis and presentation tools to build skills in data literacy, scientific reasoning, visual communication, and the design of classroom-ready STEM lessons and assessments.