University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Martina Gentzsch, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, an Adjunct Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology, and a member of the Marsico Lung Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned her Ph.D. in Cell Biology with a focus on protein processing in 1997 from the University of Regensburg, Germany, where she also completed her M.S. and B.S. degrees in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Chemistry. Dr. Gentzsch is an internationally recognized expert in cystic fibrosis (CF) research, focusing on the cellular mechanisms that regulate CFTR biogenesis, trafficking, and rescue, as well as on developing preclinical models to evaluate ion channel function and CF therapies. She directs the NIH-funded Cystic Fibrosis Molecular and Functional Measurement Pre-Clinical Core and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)-supported Functional Analysis Core, which provide translational platforms for testing emerging CF therapeutics. Since 2025, she has served as the Contact Principal Investigator of the Cystic Fibrosis Research and Translation Core Center at UNC. Her pioneering studies on mutant CFTR processing contributed to the development of current modulator therapies and continue to guide strategies for treating individuals with rare CFTR variants. Her models and protocols also support the advancement of novel RNA- and DNA-based therapies for CF. Beyond CF, her research extends to epithelial ion channel dysfunction in other pulmonary diseases. In 2023, Dr. Gentzsch became President of the Association for Professional Women in Medical Sciences at UNC, reflecting her dedication to scientific leadership and mentorship.
W03--Cell-Specific Roles of CFTR in the Airways: Insights into Expression and Function
Thursday, October 23, 2025
7:45 AM - 9:45 AM PDT