Our Team

Principal Investigator: Yvonne Mowery, MD, PhD, DABR

Yvonne M. Mowery, MD, PhD, DABR is a physician scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh/UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, specializing in treating head and neck cancer with radiotherapy and studying novel combinations of radiation with immunotherapy. She was previously the Butler Harris Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and an Assistant Professor of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at Duke University, as well as the Associate Center Director for Radioimmunotherapy for the Duke Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Mowery received her MD and PhD in Pathology at Duke University in 2012, followed by completing Internal Medicine internship and Radiation Oncology residency at Duke University in 2017. During residency, she joined the laboratory of sarcoma and genetically engineered mouse model expert David Kirsch, MD, PhD to initiate a new research project evaluating the combination of radiation therapy and immune checkpoint blockade in a novel carcinogen-induced and genetically engineered sarcoma model that she developed. Data from her preclinical studies supported initiation of SU2C-SARC032 (NCT03092323), a phase II trial evaluating anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab in combination with neoadjuvant radiation therapy and surgery for high-risk soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity. Yvonne joined the faculty at Duke in 2017 and continued her postdoctoral training through 2020 in the Kirsch laboratory. Supported by an ASCO Young Investigator Award and Duke School of Medicine Physician Scientist Strong Start Award, Yvonne continued her work studying radiation and immunotherapy and developed several novel primary mouse models of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Her laboratory focuses on studying head and neck cancer pathogenesis and mechanisms of overcoming radiation and immunotherapy resistance in HNSCC, with a particular interest in DNA damage response pathways. Yvonne she was awarded a 2021 American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician-Scientist Award, and her research has been supported by a K08 Career Development Award from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator Award, a P30 Cancer Center Support Grant Supplement, and a U24 through the National Cancer Institute Co-Clinical Imaging Research Resources Program. She is the PI of an investigator-initiated multi-institutional phase I ETCTN trial (NCT04576091) evaluating the ATR inhibitor BAY 1895344 with pembrolizumab and stereotactic body radiation therapy for recurrent HNSCC.

Ashlyn Rickard, Ph.D

Postdoctoral Associate

Ashlyn Rickard, PhD, is a postdoctoral associate in the Mowery Lab who specializes in developing novel genetically modified mouse models and quantifying functional parameters in preclinical models, with emphasis in both in vivo optical microscopy, photon-counting computed tomography and hypoxia imaging. Ashlyn studied experimental physics and Spanish as an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and completed her PhD in medical physics at Duke under Dr. Gregory Palmer. Ashlyn has extensive experience in radiation biology and acts as the Xstrahl SARRP’s primary medical physicist, performing quality assurance and consulting for complex radiation therapy plans. Outside of the lab, Ashlyn enjoys hiking with her dog and watching hockey with her godson.

Casey Heirman, B.S.

Graduate Student

Casey Heirman graduated in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science from Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada. As an undergrad, she concentrated in both biology and physics, with enjoyment in finding ways to relate the two disciplines to another. Currently she is a master's student at Duke in the Medical Physics Graduate Program, where she continues to follow both her passions of biology and physics.

Madison Ravotti

Laboratory Research Technician I

Madison Ravotti is a research technician who joined the Mowery Lab in the summer of 2023. Currently, she is an undergraduate student at Seton Hill University, majoring in biochemistry. In her free time, Madison enjoys babysitting her nephews and watching Below Deck.

Penny Clum, M.S.

Research Specialist

Penny Clum is a research specialist in the Mowery lab. She has a wealth of knowledge of both chemical and biological assays. She obtained her Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University, where she studied zeolites as a storage medium for hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. She holds a second Master of Science in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology acquired at the University of Maine. She conducted research most recently at Duke University investigating HNSCC tumor microenvironment and previously at Maine Medical Center Research Institute and Jackson Labs where she investigated microenvironments in heart and metabolic disease. The former applies directly to her work in the Mowery lab as she focuses on protocol development, DNA damage induced by small molecules, and genetic factors in the tumor microenvironment that may impact the efficacy of therapies. Her extensive teaching experience at both the high school and university level has proven useful, as she works extensively with young scientists to develop robust technical and thinking skills. Outside of the lab, Penny is passionate about combining Eastern holistic modalities with Western science through yoga and meditation; she has been a yoga teacher/teacher trainer/consultant for more than 20 years. When she isn't sharing her wisdom, Penny is spending time in nature, connecting with her kids, and exploring with her dog, Poppy.

Aastha Sobti, Ph.D, B.D.S, MCLinDent Oral Surgery

Postdoctoral Associate

Neil Shah

Undergraduate Researcher

Neil Shah is an undergraduate student who joined the Mowery lab in the Winter of 2023. He is currently at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Biology and minoring in Economics and Chemistry. He is passionate about affordable healthcare for seniors and volunteers as a Medicare counselor outside of school. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis, drawing airplane and ship blueprints, and watching Formula 1 racing.