Laboratory Staff | New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center

	Siân Owen (Principal Investigator) Siân is originally from the UK and is a proud graduate of Cardiff University (BS and Master’s) and the University of Liverpool (PhD). She was a postdoctoral fellow in the Baym Lab at Harvard Medical School in Boston for 6.5 years before joining the Wadsworth Center in 2024 to establish the Phages & Mobile Genetic Elements Lab. When not busy pondering empty 96-well plates, she is probably building model phages and listening to BBC radio.
	Michael Schelling (APHL Postdoctoral Fellow) Michael completed his PhD at Iowa State University in the lab of Dipali Sashital, where he studied CRISPR-Cas specificity and bacteriophage immunity. His research interests center on the defense and counter-defense adaptations bacteria have evolved to survive competition with other organisms. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Owen Lab, he uses microbiological and biochemical approaches to investigate mechanisms of bacterial conjugation resistance. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing music, attending concerts, and playing strategy games. Publications
	Alecia Rokes (APHL Postdoctoral Fellow) Alecia completed her PhD in Vaughn Cooper’s lab at the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied the role of evolutionary history in shaping antimicrobial resistance. In the Owen Lab, she applies an evolutionary lens to plasmid–phage interactions, focusing on the regulatory mechanisms that dictate pilus production. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her two dogs, as well as crafting and cooking at home. Publications
	Eva Githuku (PhD Student) Eva is originally from Kenya, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Medical Microbiology. She completed her master’s degree at Idaho State University, where she studied evolutionary strategies used by bacteriophages and their hosts by mapping CRISPR protospacer locations in phage genomes. She is currently a PhD student in the Owen Lab exploring plasmid-dependent phages, with a focus on how bacterial defense systems and horizontal gene transfer influence host range and viral adaptation. Outside the lab, Eva has a slight obsession with knitting and watching documentaries.
	Zachary Pearson (PhD Student) Zachary is a proud Western New Yorker, originally from Rochester. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne College and a master’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Rochester. He spent five years in Boston, MA, working at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Dr. Nicole Pecora’s research lab, where he contributed to a clinically validated whole-genome sequencing surveillance program. His research interests range from evolutionary models of bacterial antibiotic resistance to the mechanisms of conjugative plasmid machinery. Outside the lab, he enjoys tending to his aquariums, listening to and playing music, and spending time with friends and family.
	Rhiannon Mariano (MS Student) Rhiannon graduated from SUNY Cobleskill with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and an associate’s degree in Biotechnology. She is currently a master’s student in the Biomedical Sciences program at UAlbany, where she studies the conjugation of carbapenem-resistance plasmids and the potential application of plasmid-dependent bacteriophages to limit their spread.
	Hannah Kumar (APHL Postbaccalaureate Fellow) Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. As an APHL fellow in the Owen Lab, she is developing methods for the systematic discovery of plasmid-dependent phages in E. coli. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading, listening to music, and going to the beach.
	Caroline Nero (APHL Undergraduate Intern) Caroline is a Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology major at the University of New Hampshire. In the Owen Lab, she is discovering new plasmid-dependent phages that target antibiotic resistance plasmids in E. coli. Outside the lab, she enjoys dancing, reading, and crocheting.

Laboratory Alumni

Jessica Ermo (APHL Undergraduate Intern) May 2025 – April 2026
Jeremy Selvarajah (APHL Undergraduate Intern) May 2025 – April 2026