Meet the team

Dr Mike Cowley
Associate Professor

Mike obtained his PhD in Developmental Genetics from the University of Bath, UK, and studied epigenetic mechanisms regulating gene transcription as a postdoc at King's College London, UK. He was the recipient of The London Law Trust Medal Fellowship in 2012 and established his group at NC State University in 2014.

Dr Marine Baptissart
Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Marine completed her MS in Genetics and Physiology and her PhD in Molecular Biology and Physiology at Clermont Auvergne University, France. She joined the Cowley Lab in 2015 to study the epigenetic mechanisms that program non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in response to an adverse metabolic environment during development.

Mark Simmers
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Mark completed his BS in Human Biology at NC State University and joined the Cowley Lab in 2017. He is studying the epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms that lead to impaired placental function in response to developmental cadmium exposure.

Sierra Moorefield
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Sierra obtained her BS in Biology and BA in Chemistry at Meredith College. Since joining the Cowley Lab in 2018, she has been studying the role of imprinted genes in driving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a consequence of developmental exposure to cadmium.

Brie Jones
Undergraduate Research Student (Biological Sciences - Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology Concentration)

Brie joined the lab in 2018. After receiving training in molecular, histological and physiological techniques, she is now studying how the transcription factor Zac1 regulates imprinted gene expression during development.

Cassie Starnes
Undergraduate Research Student (Zoology and Animal Science)

Cassie joined the team in 2019. She is working in collaboration with Sierra to investigate the mechanisms that program non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in response to developmental cadmium exposure.

​Find out what our alumni did next!

Graduate students

Dr Katie Hudson (PhD, Genetics Program;  graduated May 2019)

• Winner of two Provost Research Awards ($10,000 each)
• Current position: NIH IRTA Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanisms of Genome Dynamics Group, NIEHS

Undergraduate students

Sanya Mehta (BS, Nutrition Science; graduated May 2019)

• Current position: Postbac IRTA, Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Group, NIEHS
  

Jesse Tehrani (BS, Biological Sciences - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology concentration; graduated May 2018)

• Recipient of an Office of Undergraduate Research Grant, and winner of an Outstanding Presentation Award at the Undergraduate Research Symposium
• Current position: PhD in Genetics & Molecular Biology, Emory University
  

Evan Walsh (BS, Biological Sciences - Human Biology concentration; graduated May 2018)

• Recipient of an Office of Undergraduate Research Grant, and winner of an Outstanding Presentation Award at the Undergraduate Research Symposium
  
• Current position: PhD in Bioinformatics, NC State
  

Emily Shiver (BS, Biological Sciences - Human Biology concentration; graduated May 2018)

• Current position: Pharmacy IV and Chemotherapy Technician, Jacksonville, NC
  

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Emma Marx (BS, Genetics, and BA, English; graduated May 2017)

• Current position: PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology, UNC Chapel Hill
  

Evan Lamb (BS, Biological Sciences - Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology concentration; graduated May 2017)

• Subsequent position: Masters in Biomanufacturing, NC State
  
• Current position: Senior Associate Scientist, Pfizer

Kelly Buddin (BS, Biological Sciences; graduated May 2017)

• Current position: Research Technician, Albert Eye Research Institute, Duke University

Research staff

Dr Christine Bradish, Laboratory Manager

• Current position: Plant Breeder, Avoca Inc., NC