Clemson University has held a special significance in Madeleine Greer’s family ever since her grandfather graduated in ’61. This connection was a key consideration for her as she selected her university.
“I chose Clemson because it’s always been an important place to me and my family. My family has been going to Clemson games since before I was born and with it being close to where I grew up, we always visited and grew a connection with the university.”
Madeleine is from Greenville, SC and went to Greenville High School, where she skipped a grade between her sophomore and senior year. In high school, Madeleine enjoyed being a part of the school’s tennis team, eventually becoming team captain.
As a genetics major, Madeleine is eager to explore how our genes are inherited and how they shape our identities.
“I’ve always been curious about how traits are passed down and why people are the way they are. I think it’s really interesting how our genes shape so much about us and I’m excited to learn more about it.”
Madeleine has plans when she gets on campus not just academically but with extracurricular activities, planning to go through sorority recruitment and joining the club tennis team.
Even as an incoming freshman, she has goals for her future after graduating with her genetics degree.
“With my genetics degree I plan on going to medical school and becoming a doctor specializing in either IVF or gynecology.”
As a travel lover, study abroad was an important factor when deciding where to attend college for genetics sophomore Maddie Smith. This summer, she jumped at the opportunity to study abroad in Oaxaca, Mexico through the Faculty-Directed: Global Experiences in Health Professions Program.
“I love travelling and getting to experience different cultures and landscapes different from my hometown. Clemson has been so supportive of my dream to go abroad, and this dream come true did not disappoint!”
During the three weeks that Maddie was in Mexico, she shadowed doctors, gained insight on traditional medicine, studied the Spanish language and learned the history of Mexico.
“While in Oaxaca, Mexico, I was shadowing in local hospitals and clinics to gain insightful experience within healthcare settings and gain a global perspective on public health.”
Maddie and the other students lived with a host family during their stay. Each day they would have clinical rotations, Spanish lessons and lectures to attend. As busy as Maddie’s days were, she did occasionally get some free time.
“In our free time, I would do my assignments, take much needed naps, go to dinner with friends and explore the city! I loved going to the market to see all the local goods they were selling!”
Grateful for this experience, Maddie hopes this will follow her into her future career as a physician.
“Through this experience, I have learned that we are very fortunate in the US to have a top-notch healthcare system. When I am a practicing physician, I hope to use my global healthcare perspective to be patient and respectful of my patients and their life experiences.”
The 2025 cohort represents the tenth annual President’s Leadership Institute. As an exciting opportunity for emerging, high-potential, and high-performing members of the faculty and staff of Clemson University the President’s Leadership Institute (PLI) is a nine-month leadership development program designed to support and develop professional and personal leadership within a diverse and inclusive community.
The department’s own principal lecturer Dr. Alison Starr-Moss was nominated and selected to be a part of this years cohort. After earning her B.S. in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from Clemson in 2003, she received her Ph.D. in Genetics from Texas A&M University in 2007. Returning to Clemson in 2008, Starr-Moss focused her research on canine genetics and genomics.
She currently serves as the director of advising and instructional programs and M.S. program coordinator, where she is dedicated to undergraduate and graduate student development through degree planning and professional growth. Starr-Moss is recognized for her excellence in advising and teaching, having received the 2013 Frank A. Burtner Award for Excellence in Advising and the 2020 Dr. Ted G. Westmoreland Award for Faculty Excellence and most recently, the Dean’s Distinguished Lecturer Award.
The institute enables participants to build individual effectiveness, understand the power of critical thinking and communication, learn directly from President Jim Clements and embrace their own ability to lead within the Clemson community. Each cohort consists of 25 faculty and staff nominated by University leadership.
Shriya Amin ’22 has always had a passion for ancient history – partly due to reading the Percy Jackson series as a child. So, when she came to Clemson as a biochemistry major (quickly switching to genetics), minoring in history was a no-brainer.
During the spring semester of Shriya’s sophomore year, the COVID pandemic hit and everything went remote. Shriya didn’t want to get behind and also wanted to get involved in some way.
“During the summer of 2020, I was on two teams in the Clemson COVID Challenge – groups of Clemson, MUSC and Prisma Health students, along with faculty and staff worked to address issues highlighted by the pandemic in everything from medical challenges to societal discrepancies.”
One of the projects Shriya worked on was with the REDDI Lab at Clemson. She first started as a Collection Specialist, then as one of the two Undergraduate Supervisors, staying with this project until graduation.
Shriya was also part of Clemson Dholna, Clemson’s Bollywood fusion dance team since her freshman year.
“We performed at university and community events. It continues to be a wonderful and talented group of people, and I’ve loved getting to see the team grow and progress since graduating.”
During Shriya’s senior year she participated in virtual directed reading with Drs. Raquel Fleskes and Tad Schurr at the University of Pennsylvania. That same year, construction around the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston unearthed an 18th century burial ground.
There were 36 enslaved individuals – called the Ansons Street Ancestors – buried there. With permissions from the local Gullah community, Drs. Fleskes and Schurr completed ancient DNA, stable isotope and osteological analyses on these ancestors to learn more about their lives and try to re-identify them as much as possible.
“I had found out about this project and worked out a directed reading project of bioinformatics with Dr. Fleskes. It was kind of my first foray into anthropology, and I really connected with how it focused on the human side of science.”
Shriya always knew she wanted to further her education and attend grad school; she just wasn’t sure where or what she really wanted to study.
“During my junior year, I sat down with Dr. Alison Starr-Moss to see how I could bridge the gap between ancient history and genetics, because I loved them both so much. She suggested I find some papers that connected the two and learn more the authors and see if they would be willing to speak with me.”
After reading Dr. Fleskes paper on the Anson Street Ancestors and participating in the directed reading, Shriya knew this was the path she wanted to pursue.
Shriya is currently working towards her Ph.D. in anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn). She is in a subdivision of anthropology at the UPenn, which is biological anthropology – genetics.
“It’s similar to human genetics, but takes into further consideration the sociocultural, political and environmental aspects that can shape and affect the human genome and looks at genetics a little more holistically.”
Her dissertation project addresses questions of admixture and diversity: how population- and individual-level movements and migrations from the recent and more ancient pasts affect the genomes of current peoples.
“I’m part of a larger project that is working to characterize genetic diversity in the country of Georgia in the South Caucasus.”
Unsure of what lies ahead after completing her Ph.D. in anthropology, Shriya does know that she will work on making science more available to the population.
“Right now, I think I’d like to work in science publishing and outreach. The pandemic highlighted for me how poor scientific education and literacy is in the U.S., and I want to try to make science more accessible to non-scientists.”
May graduate Hannah Skinner is a Clemson student through-and-through. Before attending Clemson for her MS in genetics, she was a biological sciences student with Spanish and genetics minors.
Hannah graduated in May 2025 with a master’s in genetics. Her committee chairs were Drs. Todd Lyda, Meredith Morris and Manuel Fierro. Hannah’s thesis was a literary review on the parasitic disease, toxoplasmosis, heavily influenced by an infectious oddities class took in spring 2024, led by Dr. Todd Lyda.
“I would not have been able to complete this thesis without his guidance, wisdom and friendship.”
In addition to being a full-time master’s student, Hannah was the graduate assistant for Clemson Bands. One of her favorite moments as a student was the ACC Championship in 2024.
“I was with the band cheering on the team that night and it was electric. I’ve never had so much fun at a game (even though my jaw got dislocated in the excitement). Go Tigers! Go Tiger Band!”
Hannah will return to Clemson in the fall to pursue a master’s program in applied health research and evaluation.
May graduate Britana Myers knew she wanted to study genetics after gaining an interest in high school.
Britana was a part of Clemson Honors College, the College of Science Mentoring and Inclusion Collaborative (COSMIC) Program and was a Student Phonathon Caller for the Clemson Annual Fund.
In addition, Britana performed research in Dr. Michael Sehorn’s, focusing on a project that includes creating a mutation in the human SSB1 protein.
Britana’s advice for undergraduate students is to seek assistance from professors, advisors and peers.
“The best thing I learned in the last four years is that you should always ask for help when you need it. It’s better to be vulnerable and admit when you don’t know something.”
Britana loved spending late nights studying and goofing off with her friends, which she will continue to do as she is pursuing a master’s in genetics with our department starting in the Fall of 2025.
National Scholar Elizabeth Caldwell graduated with a degree in genetics in May 2025 and is headed to Yale University for a master’s degree in public health.
Since her freshman year, Caldwell has worked with Michael Sehorn, associate professor of genetics and biochemistry, focusing on DNA damage repair pathways in various disorders, including a rare immunodeficiency disease. Her passion stems from her own underresearched disorder, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Her love for research led her to the highly selective pediatric oncology education program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the summers of 2023 and 2024, where she researched rare, cancerous mutations related to leukemia. On campus, Caldwell founded the Tigers 4 Accessibility club and volunteered at the Clemson Free Clinic.
Caldwell has been named a Truman Scholar and has received Clemson’s Norris Medal, the Matt Locke Leadership Award, the College of Science Outstanding Senior in Science Award, the Riley Institute’s Upstate Diversity Leadership Award, Dr. William Marcotte Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award and the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry Outstanding Senior in Genetics Award.
Eli Verdin, who is one minute younger than his twin brother Zack, always knew he would end up at Clemson, while Zack was more interested in the University of South Carolina. At the last minute, Zack changed his mind and enrolled at Clemson with Eli.
Both share an affinity for the sciences and graduated in May 2025 with degrees in biochemistry.
“It’s beneficial, both of us being biochemistry majors and taking similar classes, so a lot of times we help each other study,” Zack said.
While at Clemson, Eli and Zack conducted DNA repair research in assistant professor Jennifer Mason’s lab. After meeting Mason in a first-year genetics course, they started conducting research in her lab on a specific protein in the homologous recombination pathway, which repairs DNA. Eli and Zack say they’ve developed both research skills and life skills, such as time and project management while in Mason’s lab.
The twins were also involved in Prisma Health’s MedEx Academy program and volunteered with the Clemson LIFE Program and the Paw Pantry.
Eli hopes to go into orthopedics while Zack is eager to be a part of emergency medicine. They both were accepted to the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville and will start in the Fall of 2025.
At the 2025 Spring Research in Symposium (RIP) Genetics and Biochemistry graduate meeting, the G&B Graduate Student Association honored their outstanding students with awards.
A Clemson native, May ’25 alum Griffin Thomas was a familiar face in the Life Sciences Building (LSB) during his undergrad, something that he looks back fondly on.
“Every day I looked forward to going to the LSB, knowing I would get the chance to talk to a past professor, a friend studying in the atrium, a member of the Genetics and Biochemistry staff or a member of the support staff.”
Griffin was a biochemistry major with minors in genetics and social sciences and was named an Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovations Center (EPIC) Seifert Scholar, served as the president of the Clemson Rotaract Club, a volunteer with the Cottingham Hospice House and a clinical research assistant in the School of Nursing.
Arguably, his most important work while at Clemson was his research in Dr. James Morris’ lab within EPIC where he studied the metabolism of T. brucei and Nagleria Fowleri in order to elucidate potential therapeutic targets.
After graduation, Griffin will be conducting research with the Department of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC for a year prior to attending medical school.
“I hope this opportunity will prepare me to provide more informed and comprehensive care to my future patients and prepare me for a career in neurosurgery.”
