Name: Sally Thompson, DVM, PhD
Position: Staff Scientist II
Organization: Targeted Genetics Corporation
Year graduated from UW DEH: 1996
Degree: PhD
Program: Toxicology

As a staff scientist and toxicologist at Targeted Genetics Corp., Sally Thompson's job is to evaluate the safety of gene therapy products that could change the lives of people with genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and hemophilia.

A preclinical toxicologist, she conducts safety evaluations of gene therapy products and works with the Food and Drug Administration on product development. One of the appeals of the rapidly changing field of biotechnology is that she is constantly learning.

After receiving her PhD in 1996, she began working as a research scientist at another Seattle biotechnology company. She moved to Targeted Genetics two years ago.

Sally had a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree when she entered the PhD program in Toxicology. She worked in Associate Professor Terry Kavanagh's laboratory, analyzing the effects of oxidative stress on the immune system and on development. She used mouse models to understand how the immune system responds to low doses of methylmercury.

She considers teamwork to be one of the most important things that she learned at the Department of Environmental Health. She found the Kavanagh lab to be a "cohesive group" that worked well together on a daily basis and on grant-preparation deadlines. She also benefited from the diversity of research taking place in the department. Her work team includes scientists in a variety of disciplines and corporate partners, who have exposed her to the business side of biotechnology.

She sees a bright future for research scientists in biotechnology, both locally and worldwide. Now in a position to recruit staff scientists at Targeted Genetics, she has some suggestions for the department's current graduate students. One is to get a perspective of the whole animal model, including physiology, rather than focusing solely at the molecular level. Her second suggestion is to focus on writing and presentation skills. "Get as much writing and reviewing experience as you can." A third suggestion is to balance work and life outside of work.

Sally has found a job where she can work part-time, allowing her to spend a four days each week with her two sons. With her husband and sons, she enjoys fishing, playing baseball, going to Mariners games, and playing on the beach. "I have to admit the one thing that I enjoy most about working part time is that we can take a leisurely walk to the local library once a week," she said.

back to profiles