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.

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, NC. 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.

Logan Dameris
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Logan graduated from Greenville University, IL, with a BA in Biology and Chemistry. He joined the Cowley Lab in 2020 and is investigating how cadmium perturbs the epigenome to cause disease.

Vicmarie Marrero-Colon
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Vicmarie received her BSc in Chemistry from Universidad Ana G. Mendez in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She joined the Cowley Lab in 2020 to study the mechanisms underlying cadmium-induced metabolic disease.

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 NAFLD in response to developmental cadmium exposure.


​Find out what our alumni did next!

Postdoctoral research scholars

Dr Marine Baptissart (2015-2020)
  • Winner of Best Poster Award at the UNC CGIBD Annual Symposium
  • Co-investigator on an NIDDK-sponsored pilot project
  • Current position: Research Fellow, Male Reproduction and RNA Biology Group, NIEHS

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

Brie Jones (BS, Biological Sciences - Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology concentration; graduated May 2020)
  • Recipient of an Office of Undergraduate Research Grant
  • Current position: Medical Assistant, Raleigh, NC
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)
  • Subsequent positions:
    • Research Technician, Albert Eye Research Institute, Duke University
    • Senior Research Technician, Locus Biosciences
  • Current position: Associate Scientist, Bioventus

Research staff

Dr Christine Bradish, Laboratory Manager
  • Current position: Plant Breeder, Avoca Inc., NC