Ellen E. Quillen
Dr. Quillen is a trained anthropologist and statistical and population geneticist. Her studies are focused on complex traits and include analyses of both normal variation and disease traits. Dr. Quillen is interested in applying integrated omic analyses to study age-related disorders and their molecular and physiological basis. Her initial training involved the identification of admixture and population history events that influence modern population-wide differences in pigmentation allele frequencies. She continued her research with family-based studies of schizophrenia through integration and analysis of multiple omic data (RNAseq and methylation data). Her ongoing work blends transcriptomic and epigenetic data with proteomics and metabolomics to better understand aging and metabolic disease in non-human primate models.
Dr. Quillen's full CV can be downloaded here.
Current Members
Maggie Stainback
I am currently a laboratory technician in the Quillen lab, and also worked under Dr. Quillen while earning my master’s degree in biomedical science at Wake Forest University. My research focuses on optimizing protein extraction methods suited for mass spectrometry analysis of trabecular bone, with an ultimate goal of better understanding changes in protein composition and concentration as a result of aging and various disease states. I hope to continue my research next year as a medical student at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Outside of lab I enjoy hiking, gardening, and napping with my cat, Dollie.
Bethany Wildeman
I joined Dr. Quillen's lab in Fall of 2019, and am currently a student researcher under Wake Forest School of Medicine's Biomedical Research Master's Program. My thesis work is a collaboration between Dr. Quillen and Dr. Willey on the effects of radiation on osseous DNA methylation patterns. I'm passionate about radiation studies and the dual application towards cancer treatment and spaceflight, and am excited to pursue these studies as a biomedical researcher. I also love to read and paint, and will take my telescope out on clear nights.
Anthony Criscitiello
I am a member of the Wake Forest school of Medicine and the Navy Health Professions Scholarship Program. My current interests include critical care and orthopedics. Prior to attending Wake Forest, I was a Biology major, Biochemistry minor and beekeeper at the college of the Holy Cross. As a member of the Quillen lab I work with retrospective data-sets to investigate the relationship between diabetes and fracture risk and in doing so, am developing the fundamental skills to execute data analysis. After medical school I will serve my country through clinic and research endeavors as a Navy physician.
Haley Cook
I am a student at NC State University, majoring in Animal Science with a concentration in Veterinary Bioscience and a minor in Spanish. After obtaining my undergraduate degree, I plan to attend veterinary school and pursue a career in mixed animal medicine. In the Quillen lab, I am currently researching how maternal traits influence offspring growth and development. In addition to my project with Quillen lab, I work as a research assistant with the Cardiology Service at the NC State Veterinary Hospital. When I am not in school, I work at a small animal hospital right here in the Winston area. In my free time, I love traveling, watching baseball games, and spending time with my family and dog, Kringle.
