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Ashley L. Waring

Ph.D. Candidate, Biological Sciences
M.S. in Biotechnology, 2018

Project Summary:

My current research is focused on investigating the genomic evolution between parasitoid wasp venom and Drosophila melanogaster. My projects include: exploring the link between Aβ and the innate immune response, specifically characterizing wasp venom proteins that degrade Aβ in the innate immune response; investigating metabolic regulation during the immune response, specifically how extracellular adenosine mediates the PVR/PVF1 pathway to regulate energy; and analyzing venom protein sequences of parasitoid wasps to determine evolutionary relationships between specialist and generalist parasitic wasps and to determine co-evolutionary relationships between parasitoid wasps and Drosophila.

Publications:

  • Katelyn M. Cooper, Anna Jo J. Auerbach, Jordan D. Bader, Amy S. Beadles-Bohling, Jacqueline A. Brashears, Erica Cline, Sarah L. Eddy, Deanna B. Elliott, Elijah Farley, Linda Fuselier, Heather M. Heinz, Madison Irving, Tanya Josek, A. Kelly Lane, Stanley M. Lo, Jeffrey Maloy, Michelle Nugent, Erika Offerdahl, Juan Palacios-Moreno, Jorge Ramos, Joshua W. Reid, Rachel A. Sparks, Ashley L. Waring, Mike Wilton, Cara Gormally, and Sara E. Brownell. 2020. Fourteen Recommendations to Create a More Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ+ Individuals in Academic Biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19:es6, 1–18.

Awards and Honors:

  • Jack Ward Service Award, 2020
  • Phi Sigma Outstanding Biology Teaching Award, Ph.D., 2020
  • AAI Young Investigator Award, Autumn Immunology Conference, 2019
  • Phi Sigma Outstanding Biology Teaching Award, M.S., 2019
  • R. D. Weigel Research Grant Recipient, 2019
  • M.S. in Biotechnology, Illinois State University, 2018
  • Outstanding BSC 101 Teaching Assistantship Award, 2018
  • R. Omar Rilett Trust for Scholarship and Research Recipient
  • Mockford-Thompson Summer Fellowship Recipient 
  • College of Arts and Sciences Travel Grant Recipient

Activities:

  • Genomics Education Partnership: Associate Coordinator of the parasitoid wasp genomics project, 2019-present
  • School of Biological Sciences: Curriculum Committee, graduate student representative, 2019-present
  • School of Biological Sciences: Director Search Committee, elected graduate student representative, 2019
  • Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society: Executive Board Member 2017-2019 (Treasurer 2017-2018, Vice President 2018-2019)​

​Presentations:

  • Ashley L. Waring, Emma M. Hartness and N.T. Mortimer. 2019. Investigating parasitoid wasp venom as a tool for targeted Aβ degradation. Oral presentation, Autumn Immunology Conference, Chicago, IL.
  • Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2019. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Phi Sigma Research Symposium, Illinois State University.
  • Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2018. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Oral presentation, Autumn Immunology Conference, Chicago, IL.
  • Emma M. Hartness, Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2018. Investigating the role of amyloid beta in Drosophila immunity. Midwest Drosophila Conference, Monticello, IL.
  • N.T. Mortimer, Mary L. Fischer, Ashley L. Waring and Victoria DeMichel. 2018. Using a Drosophila model to unravel the genetic complexity of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL.
  • Ashley L. Waring. 2018. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Oral presentation, Integrative Biology Seminar Series, Illinois State University.
  • Ashley L. Waring. 2018. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Oral presentation, Molecular and Cellular Biological Seminar Series, Illinois State University.
  • Emma M. Hartness, Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2018. Investigating the role of amyloid beta in Drosophila immunity. Phi Sigma Research Symposium, Illinois State University.
  • Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2018. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Phi Sigma Research Symposium, Illinois State University.​
  • Ashley L. Waring and N.T. Mortimer. 2017. Investigating the role of metabolic regulation during an immune response. Midwest Drosophila Conference, Monticello, IL.
  • Ashley L. Waring and Pooja KR. 2017. Partners in Crime: the legacy of JAK-STAT and calcium. Oral presentation, Molecular and Cellular Biology Seminar Series, Illinois State University.
  • Ashley L. Waring, et al. 2016. Bioinformatic analysis of parasitoid wasp venom. Midwest Drosophila Conference, Monticello, IL.
  • Ashley L. Waring, et al. 2016. Bioinformatic analysis of parasitoid wasp venom. Biological Sciences Student Association Symposium, Illinois State University.​
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