Meet the Team
Benjamin Henry Gern, MD
Ben is a Principal Investigator at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at the University of Washington. After completing his undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame, Ben spent time in Dr. Bruce Klein’s lab at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He received his MD from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, then completed Pediatric Residency at Oregon Health and Science University. Ben completed Pediatric Infectious Disease Fellowship at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, during which he underwent postdoctoral training with Drs. Kevin Urdahl and Michael Gerner. Outside of the lab, Ben enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, biking, and paddling around the Pacific Northwest.
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Haley Chee
Undergraduate Student
Haley is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington and plans to graduate with a BS in biochemistry and a minor in bioethics. She previously worked in Dr. Pradip Rathod’s lab studying the effects of TrtE on malaria. Haley’s research interests include developing process improvements for the lab, and examining host-pathogen interactions via confocal imaging.
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Mehnaz Halima
Research Scientist I
Mehnaz is a recent graduate with a BA in biology from New York University. During that time, she worked in Dr. Duncan Smith’s lab studying ribonucleotide excision repair in yeast. She is currently working as a research technician at the Gern Lab, while preparing to pursue medical school.
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Molly Kanagy
Graduate Student
Molly is a graduate student in the Pathobiology program through the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington. She completed her undergraduate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology at Whitman College and spent time working in Dr. Justin Taylor’s lab at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center before beginning her graduate education. Her research interests are in exploring in host immune factors which contribute to distinct pulmonary pathology and progression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections. In her free time Molly enjoys trying-out different recipes, working in her garden, and exploring new trails.
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Mari Morikawa
Student Helper
Mari is an undergraduate student at the University of Washington and plans to graduate with a BS in biology (physiology) and a minor in bioethics. She first joined Dr. Kevin Urdahl's lab in 2021 through the UW TB Scholars Program and is excited to continue in the Gern lab.
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Sylvia Stull, BS
Lab Manager (Research Scientist II)
Sylvia is a career laboratory scientist. After earning her BS in biology from the University of Washington, she began her career working in husbandry and spent many years working with multiple labs at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, including an extended period working in an immunology lab. Outside of the lab, Sylvia enjoys volunteering at the zoo and is an avid world traveler.
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Riley Zielinski
Graduate Student
Riley is a current graduate student in the Pathobiology program. She completed her undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Ohio University's Honors Tutorial College, where her senior thesis was advised by Dr. Ronan Carroll. She is additionally an alumna of the DAAD RISE exchange program, in which she completed a research project with Dr. Frank Mockenhaupt in Berlin, Germany. Her current research interests include exploring factors that contribute to Mycobacterium tuberculosis lesion structure and pathology. In her free time, she is an avid reader and embroiderer.
Former Lab Members
Josepha Klas (Research Scientist I)
Current: Graduate Student, University of Copenhagen Biochemistry Program