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)
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Aisha Kidwai
Undergraduate Researcher
My name is Aisha Kidwai, and I am junior biology major at Temple University pursuing a career in medicine. Over the past year, I have spent time in various healthcare settings to grasp the daily life of a physician. Through these experiences, I've recognized that research is a fundamental aspect of the pre-medical journey as it provides an evidence-based foundation for patient care. I am looking forward to contributing to research here at Temple and hope to gain experience that serves an indelible foundation for my future endeavors in the medical field.
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Joel Varghese
Undergraduate Researcher
Joel Varghese is a senior studying biology at Temple University, aspiring to become a physician. His academic interests include understanding biological mechanisms underlying human health and disease and exploring how scientific research can improve patient care. Through his work in the Abdulai-Saiku lab, he hopes to deepen his understanding of brain health by investigating cognitive aging and the factors that contribute to sex differences. Outside of the lab, Joel enjoys playing the drums, volunteering at his local EMS, and running his non-profit organization.
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Aisha Kidwai
Undergraduate Researcher
Aisha Kidwai is a junior biology major at Temple University pursuing a career in medicine. Over the past year, she has gained experience in various healthcare settings to better understand the daily life of a physician. Through these experiences, she has recognized that research is a fundamental part of her pre-medical journey, as it provides an evidence-based foundation for patient care. She looks forward to contributing to research at Temple and gaining valuable experience that will serve as a lasting foundation for her future endeavors in the medical field.
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Sherwin Dsouza
High School Researcher
Sherwin is a senior in high school with a strong interest in biology and healthcare, particularly in understanding how research can inform the prevention and treatment of disease. He plans to pursue a degree in biology and hopes to explore the intersection of biomedical research and patient care. In the Abdulai-Saiku Lab, his research investigates the efficacy of DDX3X as a potential therapeutic target for cognitive aging. Specifically, he is studying whether increased DDX3X expression can promote neuronal resilience against cellular stressors associated with neurodegeneration, including amyloid-β toxicity and oxidative stress. Through this work, he hopes to better understand how sex chromosome differences influence neuronal resilience and cognitive aging, and how these mechanisms could ultimately inform therapeutic approaches for age-related neurological disease. Outside of the lab, Sherwin enjoys rowing, watching movies, and volunteering at a local homeless shelter.
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Keerthi Natarajan
Undergraduate Researcher
Keerthi Natarajan is a junior biology major with interests in pursuing a career in biotech/public health. Over the summer she has spent time as a student volunteer in the lab assisting with cell culture lab techniques. The research work she has assisted with at the lab has encouraged her to further contribute to research in the future about how sex differences can lead to differences in cognitive aging in the brain. She continues to be enthusiastic about supporting the lab’s work and is very glad to be a part of the lab.