Mariah Gentry, DVM
Mariah Gentry, DVM (Grant 02524-E)
Mentor: Margaret L. Casal, DVM, PhD; University of Pennsylvania
Mariah Gentry is the 2016-2018 Kleberg Fellow in the Section of Medical Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She was awarded the fellowship soon after graduating from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2016.
At the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Gentry is currently researching renal dysplasia in Cairn terriers. She, along with her mentor Dr. Margret Casal and collaborators have set out to support the hypothesis that renal dysplasia is an inherited disease in the Cairn terrier breed. The present study consists of analyzing hundreds of pedigrees including over 1500 Cairn terriers from across the United States of America and comparing results of renal ultrasound screenings to uncover any recognizable patterns of inheritance revealed by the data.
The next step of Dr. Gentry’s research is to conduct genome-wide analyses to uncover mutations in candidate genes that are significantly associated with renal dysplasia in Cairn terriers. Ultimately, the goal of her study is to create a marker test so that the disorder can be diagnosed at an early age. Such a test could be used not only to make informed breeding decisions, but also to make lifestyle changes early on in the dogs’ lives to either prolong or prevent the signs of renal failure associated with renal dysplasia, therefore increasing overall quality of life.
Dr. Gentry’s mentor, Dr. Casal, is a CHF-funded investigator. Her studies have included research in canine genetic disease and she is also the advisor for the AKC/AKCCHF/TF Theriogenology Residency at UPenn. Read more about her CHF-funded grants:
01746-A: Discovery of the Genetic Cause of Lethal Acrodermatitis
02403-MOU: Microphthalmia and Delayed Growth Syndrome in the Portuguese Water Dog
02283-E: Theriogenology Residency -Dr. Victor Stora, DVM; University of Pennsylvania
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