MEET THE LAB!
lindsey seldin, phd -PI-
Lindsey is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Cell Biology and Dermatology as well as a Member of the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory School of Medicine. She is also a Research Health Scientist at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Lindsey received her BA in Biology & Spanish from Middlebury College, where she began her research career in the lab of Dr. Grace Spatafora investigating Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation. She earned her PhD in Cell Biology from Duke University in the lab of Dr. Terry Lechler studying mitotic spindle orientation, & performed her postdoctoral research on epithelial stem cell plasticity at Vanderbilt University with Dr. Ian Macara. Beyond her passion for epithelial biology & microscopy, Lindsey loves to swim & play tennis (no surprise that she’s a native Floridian), attend local theater & arts events, read classic literature, travel abroad, & is always on a search for the freshest seafood.
MICHAEL HAMERSKY, MS -SENIOR LEAD SPECIALIST-
Michael graduated from Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences with a Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. For his thesis work, he applied genetic & imaging approaches to study stem cell asymmetric divisions. Post graduation, Mike spent two years working in industry at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. His research interests in molecular & cell biology led him back to academia. Outside of work, Mike loves exploring new eateries & cooking new recipes, especially Asian cuisine. He is a huge sports fan & has found a happy balance between winning & losing by being a fan of both the New England Patriots as well as the New York Mets.
Ruochong wang, phd -postdoc-
Ruochong received his BS in Biological Sciences from Nankai University in his hometown Tianjin, China. He earned his MS in Biotechnology from Georgetown University, & his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Kyoto University in the lab of Dr. Takahiro Ito studying myogenesis, mitochondrial function, & biogenesis. Besides science, Ruochong loves cooking, soda, rock music, & badminton. He is trying to live healthier & make exercise a habit.
Shaelin Lee -graduate student-
Shaelin is in the Emory Genetics & Molecular Biology (GMB) PhD Training Program. She is a Georgia native & graduated from University of Georgia with her B.S. in Genetics. She performed undergraduate research in Dr. Mary Goll’s lab investigating the epigenetic landscape of pericentromeric heterochromatin in a rare disease called ICF Syndrome. Outside of the lab, she loves reading books of all genres, baking, & the color pink.
ZURI omari-muhammad -undergraduate-
Zuri is a Senior MARC Scholar from Tampa, Florida majoring in Biology & minoring in Anthropology. She is pursuing her senior Honor’s Thesis and participated in the Yale BioMed AMGEN Scholars Summer Program. She recently received a Best Poster Award at the 2024 ABRCMS conference! She hopes to pursue a PhD in Developmental Biology after her undergraduate studies. Her research interests include embryology, genomics, & evolutionary genetics. Outside of the lab, Zuri enjoys going to art museums, watching old movies, & finding new thrift and vintage shops.
NOOREEN SYED -undergraduate-
Nooreen is a Senior pursuing a double major in Biology & Chemistry on the pre-med track. She is pursuing a senior Honor’s Thesis. She is a Georgia native, born & raised in Marietta. Nooreen is still unsure of the specific career she wants to pursue, but hopes this research experience will both teach her valuable skills as well as shed light on diverse career possibilities. She is particularly interested in biology, chemistry, & Arabic, which she has been learning this past year (with some difficulty). Outside of academics, Nooreen loves to play soccer, go on hikes, & watch the newest horror movies with friends.
JACK HARPER -undergraduate-
Jack is a Senior majoring in Chemistry & pursuing a senior Honor’s Thesis. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, & is planning to pursue a DO degree after graduation. Jack hopes to capitalize on his passion for learning through research, & particularly improve his experimental design & presentation skills. Outside of school, his interests include staying active by working out, trying new foods, & reading.
EMMA WANG -undergraduate-
Emma is a Sophomore at Emory Oxford College majoring in Biology on the pre-med track. She is originally from Omaha, Nebraska, but has moved around. She hopes to use research to explore her academic interests & make meaningful progress in her work. Outside of academics, Emma enjoys watching C/K-dramas, playing cards and mahjong, & reading.
**Former Lab Members**
Kush Patel, BS (2022-2025) Undergraduate Student (Highest Honors; 100 Senior Honorary; Student Employee of the Year for Critical Thinking)
Current Position: MD/MBA Student at University of Miami
Lab Publications:
Patel KR*, Shu RR*, Wang R*, Tekale K, Hamersky IV M, Perez AB, Solano D, Syed N, Stewart CE, Lee J, Hanlon AM, Blalock TW, Li C, L Seldin (2025). Inflammasome Activation in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/ 2025.04.29.650608.
Solano D, Patel KR*, Perez AB*, Seldin L (2022). Commentary: DNA Damage Promotes Epithelial Hyperplasia and Fate Mis-specification via Fibroblast Inflammasome Activation. J Dermatol Skin Sci.;4(2):24-28. PMCID: PMC9635253.
Raphael Shu, BS (2022-2025) Undergraduate Student (Highest Honors; Sigma Xi Fellowship; Cell Bio Trainee Spotlight; ASCB Travel Award)
Current Position: Biochemistry PhD student at CalTech
Lab Publications:
Patel KR*, Shu RR*, Wang R*, Tekale K, Hamersky IV M, Perez AB, Solano D, Syed N, Stewart CE, Lee J, Hanlon AM, Blalock TW, Li C, L Seldin (2025). Inflammasome Activation in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/ 2025.04.29.650608.
Wang R*, Shu RR*, Seldin L (2024). Noncanonical functions of adhesion proteins in inflammation. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. PMCID: PMC11427013.
Kaitlyn Perkins (2023) MARC Scholar Summer Intern
Khushi Tekale, MS (2023) Master’s Student
Current Position: PhD Student at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
Lab Publications:
Patel KR*, Shu RR*, Wang R*, Tekale K, Hamersky IV M, Perez AB, Solano D, Syed N, Stewart CE, Lee J, Hanlon AM, Blalock TW, Li C, L Seldin (2025). Inflammasome Activation in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/ 2025.04.29.650608.
Hamersky IV M, Tekale K, Winfree LM, Rowan MJM, Seldin L (2023). Streamlined Intravital Imaging Approach for Long-Term Monitoring of Epithelial Tissue Dynamics on an Inverted Confocal Microscope. J Vis Exp. PMCID: PMC10442707.
Addy Perez, BS (2022-23) Undergraduate Student
Lab Publications:
Patel KR*, Shu RR*, Wang R*, Tekale K, Hamersky IV M, Perez AB, Solano D, Syed N, Stewart CE, Lee J, Hanlon AM, Blalock TW, Li C, L Seldin (2025). Inflammasome Activation in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/ 2025.04.29.650608.
Solano D, Patel KR*, Perez AB*, Seldin L (2022). Commentary: DNA Damage Promotes Epithelial Hyperplasia and Fate Mis-specification via Fibroblast Inflammasome Activation. J Dermatol Skin Sci.;4(2):24-28. PMCID: PMC9635253.
David Solano, BS (2022) Undergraduate Student
Lab Publications:
Patel KR*, Shu RR*, Wang R*, Tekale K, Hamersky IV M, Perez AB, Solano D, Syed N, Stewart CE, Lee J, Hanlon AM, Blalock TW, Li C, L Seldin (2025). Inflammasome Activation in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/ 2025.04.29.650608.
Solano D, Patel KR*, Perez AB*, Seldin L (2022). Commentary: DNA Damage Promotes Epithelial Hyperplasia and Fate Mis-specification via Fibroblast Inflammasome Activation. J Dermatol Skin Sci.;4(2):24-28. PMCID: PMC9635253.