Madison Turner was awarded the NIH F31 Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Cancer Institute which began on May 1, 2026.
Madison received her Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Psychology from Virginia Tech.
Madison is a doctoral candidate in Microbiology in the lab of Thomas P. Loughran Jr.
We asked Madison to tell us about her research and hopes for the future.
Can you tell us about your research?
The Loughran lab studies large granular lymphocyte leukemia (LGLL), a rare lymphoproliferative disorder affecting approximately 1,000 people in the U.S. annually. LGLL is characterized by a clonal expansion of cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells (T-LGLL) or natural killer cells (NK-LGLL). Although large granular lymphocytes normally comprise about 10% of circulating lymphocytes, they can expand to up to 90% in LGLL patients, leading to cytopenias, splenomegaly, and autoimmune complications. Because the disease pathogenesis is not fully understood and there are no FDA-approved therapies, there is a critical need to define the molecular and microenvironmental mechanisms driving disease.
My work focuses on how LGLL cells interact with and are shaped by the tissue microenvironment. LGLL cells accumulate in sinusoidal spaces of the bone marrow and are also found in the spleen and liver, where they form abnormal lymphoid aggregates and linear structures not seen in healthy tissue. I am using spatial transcriptomics to define the cellular organization and transcriptional programs within LGLL-infiltrated tissues. I am currently identifying cell populations interacting with LGLL cells in T- and NK-LGLL patient tissues. In parallel, I am comparing gene expression between LGLL and non-leukemic CD8+ T- or NK-cells, focusing on adhesion-related genes such as VCAM1 and ICAM1. Ultimately, this work aims to define how LGLL cells engage the tissue microenvironment to sustain survival and chronic activation, with the goal of identifying new biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
What drives or motivates your scientific pursuits?
My motivation for research stems from my early experience supporting my younger brother through his leukemia diagnosis and treatment, which showed me the emotional and clinical realities of cancer care. That experience, combined with later work in clinical and translational research environments like the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, solidified my commitment to improving outcomes for patients and their families. Today, I am driven by the goal of advancing cancer research that bridges fundamental discovery with therapies that can meaningfully reduce the burden of disease for future patients.
What are your future goals?
I plan to continue my career in cancer immunology after graduation, with a focus on developing novel cancer therapeutics that translate basic discoveries into clinical impact. I hope to work as part of an interdisciplinary research team focused on targeted therapies, where I can contribute to scientific strategy, mentor future researchers, and help shape the direction of cancer treatment development.