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 Rebecca Lichtler
Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Beca earned her BS in Public Health and PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from Tulane University. Beca is investigating how cadmium exposure perturbs body patterning during development through the disruption of key growth factor gradients.

Vicmarie Marrero-Colon
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Vicmarie received her BSc in Chemistry from Universidad Ana G. Mendez in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Vicmarie is studying the epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms through which developmental exposure to toxicants programs NAFLD.

Logan Dameris
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Logan graduated from Greenville University, IL, with a BA in Biology and Chemistry. He is investigating the importance of imprinted lncRNAs in the programming of NAFLD by an adverse developmental environment.

Velma Shang
PhD Student (Toxicology Program)

Velma earned her BSc in Biochemistry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana; her MS in Biotechnology, Bioprocessing and Business Management from the University of Warwick, UK; and her MS in Biochemistry from the University of Louisville, KY. She is studying the epigenetic mechanisms that modulate imprinted genes in response to the developmental environment.

​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 Mark Simmers (PhD, Toxicology Program; graduated Dec. 2022)

• Third place for oral presentation at NC GEMS Meeting (news article in Environmental Factor)
• First place for poster presentation at MWSOT Meeting
• Winner of travel awards from the Society of Toxicology and NCSU Genetics and Genomics Academy to attend SOT 2022
• Current position: Field Application Scientist, Chemometec, NC

Dr Sierra Riegl (PhD, Toxicology Program; graduated Dec. 2022)

• First place for oral presentation at NC GEMS Meeting (news article in Environmental Factor)
• First place for poster presentation at the College of Sciences Research Symposium
• Second place for oral presentation at MWSOT Meeting
• Current position: Leadership Development Program, BASF

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

• Winner of two Provost Research Awards
• Current position: NIH IRTA Postdoctoral Fellow, Mechanisms of Genome Dynamics Group, NIEHS

Undergraduate students

Mariam Amin (BS, Biological Sciences - Human Biology concentration)

• Anticipated graduation May 2023
  

Cassie Starnes (BS, Zoology, and BS, Animal Science; graduated May 2022)

• Current position: Technician Assistant, Avian and Exotic Animal Care, Raleigh, NC
  

Brie Jones (BS, Biological Sciences - Integrative Physiology and Neurobiology concentration; graduated May 2020)

• Recipient of an Office of Undergraduate Research Grant
• Subsequent position: Medical Assistant, Raleigh, NC
• Current position: MD Program at Wake Forest School of Medicine

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

• Subsequent position: Postbac IRTA, Immunity, Inflammation and Disease Group, NIEHS (news article in Environmental Factor)
  
• Current position: PhD in Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

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
• Subsequent position: PhD in Genetics & Molecular Biology, Emory University
• Current position: Life Science Consultant, Durham, NC
  

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
• Subsequent position: PhD in Bioinformatics, NC State
• Current position: Computational Biologist, Capsida Biotherapeutics, Thousand Oaks, CA
  

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)

• Subsequent position: PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology, UNC Chapel Hill
  
• Current position: Medical Writer, MedThink SciCom, Cary, NC
  

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

• Subsequent positions:
  
  • Masters in Biomanufacturing, NC State
    
  • Senior Associate Scientist, Pfizer
    
• Current position: Product Specialist, SKAN US
  

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

• Subsequent position: Plant Breeder, Avoca Inc., NC
• Current position: Extension Agent, University of Hawaii