Shining a light on the future of medicine

Most people wouldn’t think of using light as a medical treatment. But the research of Ashley Slaviero, Ph.D., a recent Central Michigan University graduate in the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology program could change that.

Slaviero works in the research group of Dr. Ute Hochgeschwender to develop tiny biological tools that use light to control gene activity in the body. Her dissertation, which recently earned CMU’s Outstanding Graduate Project Award, focused on optimizing a system where light acts like a switch to turn on specific genes to make proteins. One example she often gives is insulin production in diabetes, where the insulin gene needs to be activated at certain times, such as after a meal when blood sugar levels rise.

The goal is to one day help patients who are missing key proteins due to currently incurable diseases. “We hope we can use light to turn on the gene they need, which could help move them toward a healthier state,” she said.

She also studies light-sensitive proteins that allow researchers to target and influence specific brain cells (see Slaviero 2024). In previous projects, this approach was used to investigate symptoms of Huntington’s disease. The light-sensitive proteins can be used to activate or inhibit brain activity in model animals like mice, helping scientists understand which pathways might improve or worsen a patient’s condition (see Ikefuama 2025).

Though her work is complex and demanding, Slaviero has found balance outside the lab. During all four years of graduate school, she played on the CMU women’s club soccer team. “It was a huge stress relief and such a fun environment,” she said. Her teammates and the short two-month season helped her manage both science and sport. “There were times I was late to practice because an experiment was running, but the team was always understanding.”

Looking back, Slaviero says CMU gave her the space to grow, "CMU really shaped me as a student and a scientist. I found my confidence here, in research, in soccer, in everything.”

Looking to the future, Slaviero hopes to keep exploring gene activity as a staff researcher, blending creativity, precision, and long-term discovery.