Apr 14, 2026

National Volunteer Week: Celebrating Kristen Ashworth

How does personal experience drive breakthroughs in stem cell research?

Kristen Ashworth, a PhD candidate at the Ballios Lab (Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute), is proving that the most impactful research is fueled by community connection. While Kristen spends her days developing stem cell-based therapies to treat inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), her journey is deeply personal.

A Path Driven by Passion and Personal Connection

Kristen’s fascination with discovery began during her undergraduate studies, where she first explored how science could treat chronic diseases. This interest soon evolved into a passion for regenerative medicine. However, it was her personal connection — having a family member affected by vision loss — that gave her work a deeper sense of meaning and urgency.

Advancing the Future of Vision Science

Today, Kristen’s research focuses on repairing or replacing the light-sensing cells in the retina that degenerate due to IRDs. While most of these conditions currently have no cure, her work is helping move the field closer to innovative therapies that could slow, stop, or even reverse vision loss.

Bridging the Lab and the Community

Beyond the laboratory, Kristen is a dedicated volunteer with Fighting Blindness Canada’s View Point and Young Leaders programs. By connecting directly with the community, she hears the real-life stories and challenges of those living with vision loss. These interactions ground her research in human experience, reminding her that every experiment is a step toward a reality where “what’s possible” becomes “what is.”