Alexandra Johnson, PhD

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a recessive genetic disorder which causes abnormally thick mucus in essentially all mucosal organ systems. Historically, people with CF had a greatly reduced lifespan due to lethal respiratory infections resulting from an inability to clear microbes from the respiratory tract. Thankfully, in recent years the advent of chemical therapies has greatly extended the average lifespan of people with CF. However, there is now a growing awareness of morbidity and mortality caused by the effects of CF on other organ systems, particularly the gastrointestinal tract. Of note, people with CF have a rate of colorectal cancer (CRC) 5-10 times higher than the general population.

My research focuses on uncovering contributions of gut microbes to the development of CRC in people with CF, particularly the bacterial species Fusobacterium nucleatum. F. nucleatum has a known association with CRC tumor development in the general population, but if and how it contributes to CRC in the context of CF is an active area of study. I am also working on the development of improved intestinal epithelial organoid models (“mini-colons”) of the CF gut to better aid prevention and treatment research for CF-associated cancer.

• Ryan C. Hunter, PhD

• PhD, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA