Graduate Research Assistant

Lauren Schier

(she/her/hers)

Lauren graduated from Duke University in 2026 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science. At Duke, she worked in Dr. Zhao Zhang’s (ZZ’s) lab studying the genes involved with eccDNA maintenance, drug resistance, and inheritance, publishing her work in PNAS. In the Oakes lab, Lauren studies the immunomodulatory potential of the pre-metastatic niche, aiming to encourage immune activation by manipulating cell plasticity.

Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, playing the cello, and scuba diving.