Dr. Erica Sparkenbaugh (Link to Bio) grew up in western Pennsylvania and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Allegheny College. She obtained her PhD in Pharmacology/Toxicology at Michigan State University, with a research focus on mechanisms of Drug-Induced Liver Injury. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill with Dr. Rafal Pawlinski, then became an Assistant Professor of Medicine and member of the UNC Blood Research Center in 2019. She has funding from NHLBI and previously from the American Society of Hematology. Dr. Sparkenbaugh will join the faculty of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in September 2024.
Dr. Nirupama Ramadas (Link to Bio) grew up in Karnataka, South India. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Botany and Microbiology and Master’s degree in Biochemistry from University of Mysore, India. She was awarded a PhD degree in Zoology at University of Mysore, India. Her doctoral studies were focused on investigating the effect of chronic stress on glucose metabolism and isolating a compound from Indian Ayurvedic herb that suppresses hypothalamo – pituitary – adrenal axis. She obtained a Young Scientist Fellowship from the Department of Health Research, India. She did postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Hershey Medical Center with Dr. Pingnian He on exercise physiology. Currently she is working with Dr. Erica Sparkenbaugh at UNC Blood Research Center. Her project is focused on examining the role of APC/PAR1 signaling in sickle cell disease.
Sharon Wang is an undergraduate research from Cary, NC. Her project investigates the role of estrogen on platelet aggregation and red blood cell sickling. She will graduate in May 2025 with a goal of going to medical school.
Joshua Dutton is from Charlotte, NC will graduate in 2024. Josh assists with lab tasks (histology and mouse studies) and his project investigates pregnancy complications in sickle cell disease. Josh will be entering the UNC BBSP graduate program this fall!
Former Lab Members:
Jen Newcome, MD was a clinical fellow who did her research in Dr. Sparkenbaugh’s lab. Her work investigated the link between hormonal contraception and venous thrombosis risk in women with sickle cell disease.
Kailyn Lowder, BS was an undergraduate researcher who worked with Dr. Sparkenbaugh. Ms. Lowder graduated in May 2023 and is now in the UNC Exercise Physiology master’s program, with a goal of entering a physician-scientist (MD-PhD) program upon graduation.
Christina Abrams, MD was a clinical fellow who did some of her research with Dr. Sparkenbaugh. Dr. Abrams will be the Director of the Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease Clinic at MUSC in Charleston, SC starting June 2022!
Megan Miller, MS was a research technician from March 2020 – Feb 2022. Megan is now working as a laboratory technician at AOA Dx in Denver CO.
Laiya Clemons was a research technician in the lab. She is an ECU alum and helped us manage the lab and our large mouse colony.