Mary Harp

      With a strong foundation in agricultural science and more than 20 years of hands-on experience in biomedical research, Mary has devoted her career to advancing translational science in support of human health. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a B.S. in Agriculture, she began my journey in biomedical research at the University of Virginia, working across multiple departments—including Internal Medicine, Urology, and Biomedical Engineering.

      As a Laboratory Manager, she has overseen complex research operations while contributing directly to experimental design, animal modeling, molecular biology, and clinical sample processing. Her work has supported projects in fibrosis research, cancer biology, and nanomedicine, and has resulted in the co-authoring of several publications. On top of this, her work has led the development of the UVA Fibrosis Initiative and has contributed to securing key research funding.

     She is deeply passionate about the collaborative nature of science—whether it's mentoring lab staff, organizing workshops, or coordinating multidisciplinary research. She takes pride in the precision and care that she brings to every aspect of the lab, from compliance and training to experimental execution. When not in the lab, she loves spending time with her family and horses.