Faculty

Beverly L. Davidson, Ph.D.

Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Department: Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Graduate Group Affiliations

Contact information

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
3501 Civic Center Boulevard, 5060 CTRB
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Office: 267-426-0929
Lab: 267-425-2162

Email:
davidsonbl@chop.edu

Education:
B.S. (Biology Major/Chemistry Minor; High Distinction)
Nebraska Wesleyan University, 1981.
Ph.D. (Biological Chemistry)
University of Michigan, 1987.

Links
https://www.thedavidsonlab.com

Permanent link

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Description of Research Expertise

Keywords:
Neurodegenerative Disease
RNA biology
Gene therapy
Animal models
Human treatment

Our lab is focused on genetic diseases that affect the brain. We study the mechanisms by which mutant gene products contribute to disease, and why certain brain regions are more susceptible. The team employs advanced molecular methods, sequencing and imaging modalities in animal models. The lab is also engaged in the development of next generation therapeutics for inherited disorders, including the engineering of novel gene therapy vector capsids and cargo to approach tissue and cell type specific treatments.

Selected Publications

Chamberlain JS, Davidson BL, George LA, Bryne BJ, Barrett D: The future of gene therapy: Safer vectors, sharper focus: High-profile failures demand deep root cause analysis - but the transformative potential of AAV remains within reach if the field is willing to learn and evolve. Mol Ther 33(10): 4694-4695, Oct 2025.

Amado DA, Robbins AB, Whiteman KR, Smith AR, Chillonon G, Chen Y, Fuller JA, Patty NA, Izda A, Cheng C, Nelson S, Dichter AI, Mazzoni EO, Monteys AM, Davidson BL: Author Correction: AAV-based delivery of RNAi targeting ataxin-2 improves survival and pathology in TDP-43 mice. Nat Commun 16(1): 9356, Oct 2025.

Carrell ST, Carrell EM, Giovenco R, Davidson BL: Co-Opting MBNL-Dependent Alternative Splicing Cassette Exons to Control Gene Therapy in Myotonic Dystrophy. Ann Neurol Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1002/ana.78024. Epub ahead of print.

Amado DA, Robbins AB, Whiteman KR, Smith AR, Chillon G, Chen Y, Fuller JA, Patty NA, Izda A, Cheng C, Nelson S, Dichter AI, Mazzone EO, Montey AM, Davidson BL: AAV-based delivery of RNAi targeting ataxin-2 improves survival and pathology in TDP-43 mice. Nat Commun 16(1): 5334, June 2025.

Amado DA, Robbins AB, Whiteman KR, Smith AR, Chillon G, Chen YH, Fuller JA, Patty NA, Izda A, Cheng C, Nelson S, Dichter AI, Mazzoni EO, Monteys AM, Davidson BL: AAV-based delivery of RNAi targeting ataxin-2 improves survival and pathology in TDP-43 mice. Nat Commun 16(1): 5334, June 2025.

Matuszek Z, Brown BL, Yrigollen CM, Keiser MS, Davidson BL: Current trends in gene therapy to treat inherited disorders of the brain. Mol Ther 33(5): 1988-2014, May 2025.

Leib DE, Chen YH, Tecedor L, Ranum PT, Meiser MS, Lewandowski BC, Carrell EM, Arora S, Huerta-Ocampo I, Lai D, Fluta CM, Cheng C, Liu X, Davidson, BL: Optimized AAV capsids for basal ganglia diseases show robust potency and distribution. Nat Commun 16(1): 4653, May 2025.

Tecedor L, Chen YH, Leib DE, Ranum PT, Keiser MS, Lewandowski BC, Carrell EM, Lysenko E, Huerta-Ocampo I, Arora S, Cheng C, Liu X, Davidson, BL: An AAV variant selected through NHP screens robustly transduces the brain and drives secreted protein expression in NHPs and mice. Sci Transl Med 17(798): eadr2531, May 2025.

Barbieri EM, Linsenmeier M, Whiteman KR, Cheng Y, Braganza S, Copley KE, Miranda-Castrodad P, Lewis B, Villafane K, Amado DA, Davidson BL, Shorter J: Scouring the human Hsp70 network uncovers diverse chaperone safeguards buffering TDP-43 toxicity. bioRxiv 2025.05.10.653282, May 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1101/2025.05.10.653282.

Haley RM, Padilla MS, El-Mayta RD, Joseph RA, Weber JA, Figueroa-Espada CG, Mukalel AJ, Ricciardi AS, Palanki R, Geisler HG, Jester MT, Davidson BL, Mitchell MJ: Lipid nanoparticles for in vivo lung delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoproteins allow gene editing of clinical targets. ACS Nano 19(14): 13790-13804, April 2025.