Ashlyn Parrott      

When and how did you realize that you wanted to study Genetics & Genomics?

When I was a teenager, my brother was diagnosed with a genetic condition. At the time, I didn’t recognize how deeply that would shape my academic and career interests, especially since my high school offered limited science courses. It wasn’t until my first general biology class in college that everything started to click. For the first time, I could connect what I was learning to real-life implications for people like my brother. That experience, along with the influence of science communicators on social media, helped me realize that I wanted to pursue a research career in biology—with a special focus on genetics.

Why did you choose the Genetics & Genomics Ph.D. program at A&M?

Participating in the SURGe program gave me a meaningful introduction to the Genetics & Genomics Ph.D. program at Texas A&M. I was impressed by the range of faculty expertise, the highly collaborative research environment, and the access to specialized facilities that support advanced genetic research. What stood out to me most was how well-structured and supportive the program seemed—not just in mentorship opportunities and academic offerings, but also in its day-to-day operations. It was clear the program is run with intention and care. My personal experiences, along with the alignment between my interests and the program’s strengths, made it clear that GGEN was the ideal environment for my graduate studies.

If you were free to choose anything, what research question/topic would you like to address for your graduate studies?

If given the freedom to explore any topic, I would be interested in developing methods to artificially activate selective mitophagy during adulthood. While this process may occur naturally during embryogenesis, and has even been explored in some IVF-related contexts, efficiently inducing it later in life remains a challenge. Establishing reliable methods to trigger selective mitophagy in adults could not only offer therapeutic strategies for mitochondrial disorders but also help prevent broader age-associated conditions linked to mitochondrial dysfunction, including certain cancers and cellular senescence.

Fun Facts:

• What would be your dream job after graduation from the program?

My dream job is to lead my own research lab in academia, focusing on mitochondrial physiology and pathology. I hope to uncover mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in disease and aging while mentoring future scientists in a collaborative, supportive environment.

• Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they.

One of my hidden talents is fiction writing. I enjoy crafting layered characters and crimedriven, investigative plots. It’s a creative outlet that also sharpens my scientific thinking by reinforcing organization, critical analysis, and attention to detail. It’s helped me become a clearer, more effective communicator in my writing.

• Do you have any pets? If so, please tell us about them.

I have three cats: Peanut, Abby, and Crunchy. Peanut is a 22-year-old calico and the sweetest old lady. Abby, my 9-year-old Maine Coon, is loud and full of sass and drama. Crunchy is the youngest at 2 years old, and he is my wild child that adores my husband. All of them enjoy a good cuddle and chasing bugs around the house.