Lab Personnel
Ashley W. Seifert (PI)
Associate Professor
awseifert@uky.edu
Brianda López-Aviña
PhD Student
brianda.lavina@uky.edu
Collaborators
Malcolm Maden (pictured left in photo with Paul Martin). Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, University of Florida. Malcolm served as my postdoctoral adviser, mentor, tennis partner, and is a renowned regeneration and developmental biologist. Malcolm and I collaborate intellectually on multiple aspects of regeneration. Paul Martin was instrumental in helping inform my early work with spiny mice and conducts wound healing and regeneration research across a broad array of animals.
Spiny mouse consortium. With more biologists adopting spiny mice to study regeneration, reproduction and behavior, a spiny mouse community has begun taking shape. With a genome sequencing project complete, we continue to expand our molecular toolbox and look forward to a lifetime of productive collaborations. Pictured at right (counterclockwise from front left) David Thybert (EBI), me, Kerstin Bartscherer (OsnaBruck University), Peter Temple-Smith (Monash University), Goncalo, Shishir Biswas, Gustavo Tiscornia (Eugin). Not pictured, Aubrey Kelly (Emory), Noga Kronfeld-Schor (Tel Aviv Univ.)
Stephen G. Kiama Vice Chancellor, University of Nairobi and Professor of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, University of Nairobi. Dr. Kiama and I are collaborating (with Vanessa Ezenwa) on research that tests how biases in immunity impacts regeneration in African spiny mice. As a visiting professor in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology I advise graduate students with Dr. Kiama working on wound healing and regeneration in mammals. We are also working together to develop opportunities that can bridge the gap between biomedical research in East Africa and the United States.
Sarah Calve (pictured at left) Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, UC Boulder. Dr. Calve and I share an interest in how the extracellular matrix can control cell behavior in the context of development, repair and regeneration. Sarah has been developing new methods to visualize the matrix in whole embryos and in different injury paradigms. We are currently exploring how the extracellular matrix may control the regenerative response in African spiny mice.
Vanessa Ezenwa Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University. Dr. Ezenwa and I collaborate (with Dr. Kiama) to examine how inflammation and immunity affect regenerative ability in wild populations of African spiny mice.
The Nexus Biology Group (pictured at left). Ashley W. Seifert (developmental biologist), Adrian C. Stier (marine ecologist), Matthew D. Smith (behavioral and evolutionary ecologist), Bret Pasch (physiological ecologist), Francois Michonneau (evolutionary biologist) and James R. Monaghan (molecular biologist). The Nexus Biology Group is a scientific working group committed to investigating biological systems utilizing a multidisciplinary approach. Our last collaboration examined how fundamental traits affect appendage regeneration in salamanders. We are currently brainstorming our next project. Stay tuned.
Ajoy Aloysius
Postdoctoral Scholar
aaloysius@uky.edu
Robyn Allen
Postdoctoral Scholar
robynsallen@uky.edu
John Kimani
PhD Student (University of Nairobi)
jmuturik@gmail.com
Josh Sarli
Lab Coordinator
Joshua.Sarli@uky.edu
ALUMNI
Jennifer Simkin (postdoc 2015-18) - Current Position; Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, LSU Health Sciences Center
Adam Cook (MSc 2013-15) - Current Position; IT Security Specialist, Silver Springs, Maryland
Ebenezer Aryee
PhD Student
Ebenezer.Aryee@uky.edu
Thomas Gawriluk (postdoc 2014-18) - Current Position; Scientist Enepret Inc., Lexington Kentucky
Luc Dunoyer (PhD student 2014-19) - Current Position; Assistant Professor, Wake Tech Community College, Raleigh, North Carolina
Sruthi Purushothaman (PhD student 2014-20) - Current Position; Postdoctoral Scholar with Freda Miller, University of British Columbia
Joe Davis
Artist/Scientist
Honorary Lab Member
Sandeep Saxena (PhD student 2016-21) - Current Position; Postdoctoral Scholar with Fabio Rossi and Freda Miller, University of British Columbia
Shishir Biswas (PhD student 2016-21) - Current Position; Postdoctoral Scholar with Elizabeth Duncan, University of Kentucky
Renee Donahue
Scientist
renee.donahue@uky.edu
Emilio Oviedo Rivadeneira
PhD Student
e.oviedo.r@uky.edu
Brynn Martin
Undergraduate Researcher
Katarina Medger (postdoc 2020-22) - Current Position - in transition
Fatemeh Safaee (MSc 2019-22) - Current Position - in transition
Brennan Riddell
Research TechnicianGia Figlioli
Undergraduate Researcher
(former graduate students and postdocs)