Elizabeth J. Leslie, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Human Genetics
Email: ejlesli emory edu
Twitter: elizjleslie
Elizabeth received her BA in Chemistry from St. Olaf College in 2008, where she briefly flirted with field biology and population genetics of turtles. Thanks to a strong genetic predisposition for human genetics, she saw the light and has been studying human craniofacial phenotypes ever since. Elizabeth received her PhD in Genetics in 2012 from Jeff Murray's lab at the University of Iowa. At the University of Pittsburgh, she completed her postdoctoral training (with Mary Marazita) and her first faculty appointment. Outside of the lab, Elizabeth can be found behind her camera lens.
Robert Peinhardt
Project Manager
Robert relocated to Atlanta following research work in the Northeast within the field of pediatric neurosurgery. He earned his BS in Biology and Chemistry from Birmingham-Southern College and his MS in Community (Public) Health Science from the University of Alabama, researching congenital defects within a rural population. Outside of the lab, he enjoys spending time with his wife & chasing around his 2 young sons; skiing; and restoring vintage, exotic automobiles.
Sarah Curtis, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Sarah was born and raised in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. She earned her BS in Biology from the University of Kentucky in 2015 and received her Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology from Emory University in 2019, studying epigenetic differences in people who were highly exposed to endocrine-disrupting compounds. When not in lab, Sarah fills her time with a multitude of hobbies including crocheting, cooking, painting, sketching, quilting, video games, hiking, boating, and traveling.
Kimberly Diaz Perez
GMB PhD Student
Kimberly was born and raised in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. In 2018, she obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology from Georgia State University where she conducted research on schizophrenia. In her spare time, Kimberly is a dare-devil and maintains a “part-time” job rooting for the Orlando Pride and Atlanta United FC soccer teams.
Elizabeth Feldman
GMB PhD Student
Lizzie is a first-year student in the GMB program at Emory University. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry from Nova Southeastern University where she researched the chemistry of periodontal disease. When not in the lab, Lizzie may be found reading yet another book on genetics but is truthfully more likely to be watching Disney's Frozen for the hundredth time.
Kelsey Robinson
GMB PhD Student
Kelsey earned her BS in animal and veterinary sciences from Clemson University in 2012 and her DVM from the University of Georgia in 2016. Following two years in practice, she returned to UGA where she completed her MS in comparative biomedical sciences studying inflammatory brain disease in dogs, and then decided to pursue her PhD in genetics and molecular biology. In her free time, she enjoys baking, crocheting, and is excited to return to exploring new craft breweries and restaurants with her husband, Luke, and her dog, Margot, in the future.
Olakunle Ogunbayo
MPH Student
Bevin Manuelpillai
MPH Student
Bevin is a first-year MPH student studying Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. He received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and a minor in Psychology from the University of Rochester. Outside of academics, Bevin likes to play soccer and watch movies.
Cindy Yang
Undergraduate Researcher
Cindy is an undergraduate student at Emory University studying Biology on the pre-medical track. She is from Hong Kong and enjoys reading books, drawing, and playing with her cats in her free time.
Sachi Bhasin
Undergraduate Researcher
Sachi is an undergraduate student in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences studying Human Health and Economics on the pre-medical track. She is from Massachusetts and loves supporting Boston sports teams, especially the Celtics. In her spare time, Sachi enjoys playing tennis and hanging out with her friends and family.
Lab Alumni: Nadia Harerimana (rotation student), Maria Turcan (undergrad), Kristiana Josifi (research specialist), Michael Mortillo (MPH student), Shade Awoniyi (MPH student), Daniel Chang (MPH student), Madison Bishop (postdoc), Courtney Willett (grad student), Syndey Chung (undergrad), Bridget Carter (undergrad), Grace Carlock (study coordinator), Kelly Manning (research specialist)
We believe the best science is team science.
So here's a shout out to all of our collaborators around the world! We can't name everyone here but we would especially like to acknowledge Jeff Murray (Iowa), Mary Marazita (Pittsburgh), Rob Cornell (Iowa), Brian Schutte (Michigan State), Rob Lipinski (UW-Madison), Seth Weinberg (Pittsburgh), and Terri Beaty (Hopkins).