Urdahl Lab
Lab Team
Kristin Adams, PhD
Research scientist III
Dr. Kristin Adams received her PhD in microbiology at the University of Washington in the lab of Dr. Lalita Ramakrishnan. Her graduate work focused on the development of early drug tolerance in pathogenic mycobacteria. She joined the Urdahl Lab in 2013 as a postdoctoral fellow where she is interested in understanding mechanisms that restrict the adaptive immune response in the TB-infected lung. While not in lab, she enjoys yoga, running and taking in as much Seattle sunshine as she can.
Bridget Alexander
Research technician I
Sara Cohen, PhD
Research scientist III
Dr. Sara Cohen received her PhD in immunology and infectious diseases from Cornell University in 2014, where she studied the immune response to Toxoplasma gondii infection. She is currently a research scientist in the Urdahl Lab and is interested in understanding host-pathogen interactions during TB. She is excited to explore all the mountains, waters and tasty treats of the Pacific Northwest.
Lauren Cross, PhD
Fellow
Jared Delahaye, BA
Graduate student
Jared Delahaye received his BA in biology from Lewis & Clark College in 2012 where he studied venom evolution in the brown recluse. He joined the lab in July 2015 as a PhD student and is currently working on understanding the characteristics of an effective CD4 T cell response to Mtb. Outside of the lab he enjoys brewing beer and skateboarding.
Lindsay Engels, BS
Research Associate I
Lindsay Engels received her BS in cell and molecular biology from Central Washington University in 2019, where she studied the anthelmintic properties of natural products against hookworm infection. She joined the lab in July 2019 as a research associate. On weekends, she is excited to explore the various Seattle parks with her dog, Malcolm.
Benjamin Gern, MD
Acting Instructor
Dr. Benjamin Gern received his MD at the University of Wisconsin. Prior to and during medical school he studied Th17-mediated immunity to Blastomyces dermatitidis. He completed his pediatric residency at Oregon Health & Science University. Gern joined the Urdahl Lab as a pediatric infectious diseases fellow with Seattle Children’s and the University of Washington from 2016–2019. He is currently using advanced imaging approaches to study spatially-resolved immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking, biking and paddling around the Pacific Northwest.
Anuradha Kumar, PhD
Scientific Project Manager I
Katie Lien, PhD
Fellow
Courtney Plumlee, PhD
Research scientist IV
Dr. Courtney Plumlee received her PhD in biological sciences from Columbia University in 2010, and then completed postdoctoral research at the University of Connecticut Health Center in the Department of Immunology. Her research focused on CD8 T-cell differentiation and memory formation following infection. Plumlee joined the Center for Global Infectious Disease Research as a staff scientist in August of 2014 and is excited to study the functional capacity and genetic regulation of T cells during TB. A Seattle native, she is thrilled to be back on the left coast and close to her family.
Sam Schrader
Research Associate I
Shawna Stonum
Senior administrative assistant
SShawna Stonum began supporting labs at 307 Westlake in December 2017. She has supported staff in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors in a variety of industries, including social services, health care, finance and now life sciences. Her favorite groups of people are those who use their skills to benefit the greater good. She derives great satisfaction in being an integral part of the puzzle that works to potentially save lives and improve the quality of living those lives. Free-time hobbies include acrylic painting and spoiling two grandsons.
