Team
Our Team
Our team of passionate researchers and scientists is dedicated to advancing biological discovery through collaboration, curiosity, and scientific excellence. Together, we work to explore complex challenges, drive meaningful research, and contribute to a deeper understanding of life and health.
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Samira Abdulai-Saiku
Principal Investigator · Assistant Professor
Samira is a neuroscientist and Assistant Professor at Temple University whose research explores how sex chromosomes influence cognitive aging and brain health. Her work combines molecular biology, cell culture, and omics approaches to better understand the mechanisms behind age-related cognitive decline. Originally from Ghana, Samira trained at leading research institutions including Nanyang Technological University and University of California, San Francisco, where her research highlighted the important role of the X chromosome in aging and cognition.
samira.abdulai-saiku@temple.edu (email Samira Abdulai-Saiku)
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Oluwasekemi Ijidakinro
PhD Student
Oluwasekemi Ijidakinro earned her B.S. and M.S. in Zoology from University of Ibadan, where her research focused on antiparasitic drug discovery, immunotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. As a PhD student in the Abdulai-Saiku Lab, she studies how sex chromosomes influence cognitive aging and brain health. Outside the lab, she enjoys reading and cooking.
oluwasekemi.ijidakinro@temple.edu (email Oluwasekemi Ijidakinro)
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Iris Wang
Lab Manager
Iris Wang joined Temple University in January 2026 as a Lab Manager after previously working at University of California, San Francisco. She oversees mouse colony management, genotyping, and laboratory coordination, supporting the lab’s daily operations and ensuring an efficient research workflow.
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Courtney Taylor
Undergraduate Researcher
Courtney Taylor is a senior at Temple University pursuing a degree in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience on the pre-med track. Passionate about women’s health and mental health, her research interests include neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as sex-based neurological differences and their implications in medicine. In the Abdulai-Saiku Lab, her work focuses on Ddx3x, a gene that escapes X-chromosome inactivation, and its role in resilience to cellular stress. Outside the lab, Courtney enjoys dancing, running a small bakery business, and volunteering with the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Team.
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Mykhailo Zaporozhets
Undergraduate Researcher
Misha is a final-year biology major with a research focus in neurology, particularly how sex differences influence brain aging. His interests center on using human data to better understand patterns of cognitive change over time and their implications for brain health. Through his work, he aims to contribute meaningful insights into the biological mechanisms underlying aging in the human brain.
mykhailo.zaporozhets@temple.edu (email Mykhailo Zaporozhets)