People

Meet the Principal Investigator

Vivian S Lee, Ph.D.

Vivian S Lee, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Molecular Biology and membership in the Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

She completed her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Washington, followed by her Ph.D. in Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology at Washington University in St. Louis. She then completed her postdoctoral training at the Brigham and Women's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School before joining UT Southwestern in 2024.

Fun Fact: With the right playlist, I believe pipetting is a form of meditation!

Faculty Profile

Lab Members

Neeka Mardani, B.S.

Research Assistant I

Neeka was born and raised in Arlington, Texas, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington. As an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Alicia Rogers’ lab, she explored regulatory mechanisms promoting genome stability and homeostasis through smallRNA pathways. Following graduation, she joined Dr. Lee Kraus’ lab at UT Southwestern Medical Center as a Research Technician, where her project focused on recreating the ERα antibody supply used in the lab’s research on estrogen signaling and its role in diseases such as breast cancer. Neeka is currently pursuing her Master’s in Bioinformatics at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she is combining her background in biology and computational sciences to further her expertise in data-driven biomedical research.

Fun Fact: I started learning figure skating as an adult. It’s never too late to chase a dream! If I’m not at the rink, then I’m getting lost in a good fantasy novel.

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Tamalika Chowdhury, M.S.

Research Assistant I | Lab Manager

Tamalika is a Research Assistant in the Lee Lab. She holds a Master’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Calcutta and a Professional Science Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Texas Woman’s University. Her background includes molecular and microbiological techniques, with a strong focus on PCR-based infectious disease diagnostics. As a Research Assistant, she is eager to apply her academic training and laboratory experience to make meaningful contributions to pediatric research.

Fun fact: I enjoys patio gardening and believes in the “patio-to-plate” approach. She also enjoys exploring old-school downtown food spots.

Heather Joseph

Undergraduate Research Intern

Heather is an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas studying Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. She began her research experience in Dr. Mengwei Zang's lab at UT Health San Antonio, where she investigated protein signaling pathways to improve pathologies for alcohol-associated liver disease in aged mouse models. Upon starting undergrad, she found an interest in bioengineering research through joining Dr Leo Bleris' lab at the University of Texas at Dallas to study mutations in error-prone DNA polymerase families and their role in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) variability. 

Heather plans to pursue graduate studies following her undergraduate degree, with interests in genetics and computational approaches to biological problems. She is eager to explore new research directions and contribute to advancing our understanding of the intersection of molecular biology and computational science.

Fun Fact: I love playing sports and picked up ultimate frisbee in college!

Andrew Sanchez, B.S.

Ph.D. Student

Andrew was born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biochemistry from the University of Texas at El Paso. As an undergraduate student researcher in Dr. Arshad Khan’s lab, he explored novel 3D visualizations of neural and vascular architecture in the hindbrain of rats. Following graduation, he joined Dr. Benjamin Ohlstein’s lab at the Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern as a Research Technician, where his project focused on developing an injury model in the Drosophila larval intestine to study novel stem cell functions and signaling pathways and their potential roles in treating diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis and irritable bowel syndrome. With a love for genetics, he then continued his research as a post-bacc student in UTSW’s PB2Ph.D. program in the Ohlstein lab, before being admitted into the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at UTSW. Andrew plans on continuing his research journey and earn a Ph.D. degree in Genetics, Development, and Disease.

Fun Fact: I love playing tennis, board games, video games, and getting the zoomies with my dog Nacho.

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Linley Pierce, MHA

Senior Adminstrative Assistant II

Linley Pierce is a Senior Administrative Assistant II in Pediatric Cardiology, providing administrative support for the Lee Lab. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from Abilene Christian University (ACU) and spent 12 years as a laboratory manager in the Immunology Department at UT Southwestern. After earning her Master of Healthcare Administration through ACU Online, she transitioned into an administrative role, where she combines her scientific background with operational expertise. While she misses being actively involved in research, she is excited to support the only wet research lab in Pediatric Cardiology.

Fun Fact: Outside of work, Linley enjoys spending time with her two young boys. Between her energetic 3½-year-old, her 9-month-old, two dogs, and a potbellied pig, life at home is always an adventure.

Alumni

  • Danielle Dixon | Ph.D. Rotation Student
  • Adhwaitha Nambiar | Research Technician | M.D. student at Central Michi
  • Mya Moore | Ph.D. Rotation Student | Currently a Ph.D. student at UT Southwestern
  • Eva Anderson | Undergraduate Intern | Currently a student at UT Austin
  • Samantha Zamora | Research Technician

Join Our Lab

We are actively recruiting dedicated scientists at all levels.