Principal Investigator
Zeyang Shen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Molecular Biosciences
Dr. Shen earned his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from UC San Diego and completed postdoctoral training at the NIH. His research focuses on understanding the role of the microbiome in human health and disease, and on developing computational tools to advance microbiome data analysis. At WSU, Dr. Shen is excited to mentor the next generation of scientists and foster collaborations across disciplines. Outside the lab, he enjoys tennis, boba tea, and exploring new restaurants with his wife.
Contact: zeyang.shen@wsu.edu
Staff
Miyoung Lee, M.S.
Lab Manager
Miyoung got a background in Chemistry and some lab experience in plant science and biology. She is the lab manager in the Shen Lab, assisting with day-to-day tasks and general research work. In her free time, she enjoys chatting, eating good food, and having a big laugh with friends. Carpe diem!
Contact: my.lee@wsu.edu
Graduate Students
It could be you! We welcome current students to rotate with us and prospective students to apply through one of the affiliated Ph.D. programs.
Undergraduates
Abdelrahman (Bodi) Abdelrazek
Bodi is a second-year Bioengineering student minoring in Mathematics and Public Health. He is interested in stem cell and cardiovascular research, especially using patient-derived iPSC cardiomyocytes to study heart disease and regenerative therapies. He hopes to pursue an MD-PhD and a career as a physician-scientist. Outside the lab, he is passionate about advocacy, mentoring, and writing, and recently published a memoir inspired by his childhood growing up in a rural village in Egypt.
Contact: a.abdelrazek@wsu.edu
Khalil Abdullah
Khalil is a fourth-year Microbiology major graduating in Fall 2026 with a strong interest in the microbiome’s role in human health and disease. Khalil aims to continue broadening research interests and deepening knowledge of the human body. After graduation, Khalil plans to attend medical school and ultimately pursue a career in emergency medicine. Outside of academics, Khalil enjoys cooking, baking, and spending meaningful time with family.
Contact: khalil.abdullah@wsu.edu
Waleed Adawi
Waleed is a senior Data Analytics student at Washington State University with a strong interest in using data to better understand real-world problems. He is particularly interested in working with complex datasets and translating them into insights that support research and decision-making. After graduating, he plans to pursue research opportunities and/or work in data engineering within the biotech field. Outside of academics, he enjoys strength training and working on tech and car projects.
Contact: al-waleed.al-adawi@wsu.edu
Marissa Andrews
Marissa is a fourth-year student majoring in Bioengineering and Data Analytics, with a minor in Chemical Engineering. She is focused on integrating her majors to further develop her knowledge in the field of bioinformatics. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in bioinformatics. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing volleyball, and spending time with friends.
Contact: marissa.andrews@wsu.edu
Jeremy Banks
Jeremy is a freshman at WSU majoring in Genetics and Cellular Biology. After spending years in tech and cloud engineering, he returned to finish his degree and apply his technical background to biology and genetics research. He is especially interested in understanding not only how research pipelines work, but why they are used. After graduation, he plans to return to the Seattle area and join the biotech startup space in a leadership role, such as Director or CTO. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys PC games like Counter-Strike 2 and Stellaris and looks forward to Grand Theft Auto 6 on PS5.
Contact: jeremy.banks@wsu.edu
Lily Brown
Lily is a first year majoring in Astrophysics and minoring in Chemistry. She’s interested in studying the chemical and biological processes of our world and others and studying the evolutionary biology of different organisms. In her spare time, Lily enjoys reading, traditional arts, and photography. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a dual-title PhD in Astronomy and Astrobiology.
Contact: lillian.l.brown@wsu.edu
Austin Bryan
Austin is a senior Data Analytics student at Washington State University Vancouver and expects to graduate in May 2026. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a position with the state of Washington in the public sector. He enjoys learning new things and has a strong competitive spirit. School and sports are his current passions, and he looks forward to beginning a new career and starting his journey as a professional.
Contact: austin.bryan@wsu.edu
Anastasia Chepel
Anastasia is a post-baccalaureate student in her first year of the Data Analytics program. She is particularly interested in applying computational methods to biomedical and biological research. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a role that combines math, computation, and biology while contributing to research that benefits the broader community. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games (currently Echoes of Wisdom and Hollow Knight), hiking up Moscow Mountain, and exploring trails in the greater Washington–Idaho area.
Contact: anastasia.chepel@wsu.edu
Samuel Hickman
Samuel is a senior majoring in computer science, looking to expand his focus to the field of bioinformatics. He is interested in improving and inventing tools in the realm of data science. Outside of school, he enjoys cycling and playing board games, as well as skiing in the winter.
Contact: samuel.hickman@wsu.edu
Samuel Toompas
Samuel is a senior in the Data Science program. He enjoys developing bioinformatics software and performing genetic analyses. After graduation, he plans to pursue a PhD in biology. In his free time, he enjoys playing strategy games.
Contact: samuel.toompas@wsu.edu
Nathan Tuvey
Nathan is a second-year transfer student majoring in Genetics and Cell Biology with a minor in Computer Science. He is interested in research and genetic engineering to improve the efficiency of new and existing biotechnological innovations. He is also interested in the applications of neural networks in biology. Nathan hopes to pursue research full time and is considering graduate school in the future. In his free time, he enjoys watching TV shows, animation, and coding.
Contact: nathan.tuvey@wsu.edu
Visiting Students
Lisa Ngo, B.S.
Lisa is an MS1 at the Washington State School of Medicine. Her research interests include understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying various inflammatory skin diseases and how research can inform diagnostics and patient care. She plans to pursue a residency in Dermatology in the future. Outside the lab, she enjoys snowboarding and trying out new cafes.
Contact: lisa.ngo1@wsu.edu
Alumni
| Name | Degree & Program | Lab Period | Current/Next Position |
| Bridget Doyle | MS Molecular Biosciences | Fall 2025 (rotation) | Goodman Lab |
| Faizan Shafeer | BS Microbiology | Fall 2025 | MS Bioinformatics (Boston University) |