Jacquelyn Bower

Dr. Jacquelyn Bower is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Medicine. She is a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center with research focused on developing therapeutic strategies for uveal melanoma and DNA damage-related pathogenesis. Her lab investigates mutations in GNAQ/GNA11 proteins that drive tumor proliferation and metastasis, currently advancing preclinical studies for targeted therapies.

Education:
• PhD in Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences from West Virginia University (CDC/NIOSH)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Research Focus:
Dr. Bower's work centers on ocular oncology and gene therapy, particularly exploiting molecular defects in uveal melanoma for therapeutic intervention. She develops AAV-based vectors for ocular diseases, including immunomodulatory approaches for autoimmune uveitis and corneal transplantation. Her secondary focus involves breast cancer mechanisms through Lineberger Cancer Center collaborations.

Publication Trends:
Recent articles (2021-2025) demonstrate concentrated work on AAV vector optimization for ocular applications, including toxicity reduction, biodistribution studies, and mutation-specific targeting of uveal melanoma. Over 80% of publications involve preclinical gene therapy models for anterior/posterior eye diseases.

Awards and Honors:

• Career Development Award – American Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (2022)
• IBM Junior Faculty Development Award (2021)
• NIH Clinical Research Loan Repayment (2014-2016)
• Postdoctoral Research Excellence Award – UNC (2010)
• Sigma Xi Research Competition Winner (2005)

Lab and Collaborations:
Dr. Bower leads the Bower Lab at the Carolina Eye Research Institute, focusing on translational ocular oncology. She collaborates with UNC's Hematology/Oncology and Epidemiology departments on breast cancer recurrence mechanisms and maintains active NIH/NCI grant support.