Molecular biologist Suzanne McConaghy studies genes in order to help premature babies develop faster.
McConaghy works in the neo-natal Dream Lab at UNM’s Health Sciences center where she looks at how genes affect development of babies born before full term.
“We’re looking at how particular proteins and genes will change so that, perhaps eventually, we can use these changes to understand why, when a baby is born prematurely, some of the systems develop okay and some don’t develop okay,” McConaghy said. “If we can figure out what genes control development, then we can help premature babies get more healthy more quickly.”
McConaghy’s research shows potential to increase the performance of premature babies in benchmark tests.
Erythropoietin, a gene naturally produced in the body, helps aid the development of certain cells in the infants’ bodies.
McConaghy’s research focuses on “Darby,” the synthetic version of the gene.
In an ongoing study of McConaghy’s work tracking 108 infants, these growth factors increased development of the grain and other organs and increased the production of red blood cells.
In the study, the babies who are now 18 months old have shown increased performance on benchmark development tests. The children will be monitored until they are 4 years old. The findings of this study are not yet published.
McConaghy monitors the ongoing experiments in the Dream Lab neo-natology lab, working with DNA, RNA and polymerase chain reactions to measure gene expression, and guides the student researchers who work in her lab.
She said that being able to engage students in this research is what she likes most about her work.
“I think that producing a generation of medical researchers is of the utmost importance, so that progress can be made in the health services,” McConaghy said.
While McConaghy’s career has taken place mostly in the lab, she didn’t work consistently throughout her life. She said she took about 23 years off to focus on her family.
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When McConaghy decided to return to the field, she said there were few jobs on available and competition for all of them was extremely high.
McConaghy said she is lucky and feels honored to have worked in the clinic after landing an interview five years ago. She said she hopes to continue her research in the hopes of improving the lives of children everywhere.
