About us

The purpose of the Southeastern Association of Shared Resources (SEASR, pronounced “Caesar”) is to provide a regional forum for core directors, managers, scientists, and technical staff to meet, discuss and collaborate on the many common issues that face us. The topic areas include, but are not limited to, facility management, efficient laboratory practices, biotechnology advances and applications, federal and financial oversight, emerging issues facing cores, etc.

SEASR strives to be a professional organization that is inclusive and culturally competent. The SEASR Executive Board (EB) is diverse, with representation by women (75%), people of color/minorities (25%) and different nationalities. Of the twelve EB members, five are located in TN, four are located in GA, two are located in FL and one is located at the University Central del Caribe, Puerto Rico. Similar to the general membership of ABRF, SEASR EB members represent a mix of core managers, core directors and university administrators with core oversight roles. For the 2023 new EB member application year, SEASR plans to continue recruiting diverse EB members, with a particular interest in receiving applications from under-represented states in our catchment area (the Southeast).

As an official Chapter of the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities (ABRF), we cooperate with ABRF in our activities. Membership in the ABRF is encouraged; however it is NOT a requirement for attending SEASR meetings or participation in the SEASR organization. Please visit the ABRF web site to see the many benefits including numerous technology study groups, discussion forums, and an exciting annual meeting.

Click here to review the SEASR Charter.

Executive Committee

Pritha Bagchi, PhD, President

Co-Director, Emory Integrated Proteomics Core (EIPC)
Associate Scientist, Emory University Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt 

Aaron Pitre, PhD, President Elect

Sr Scientist, Cell & Tissue Imaging Center – Light Microscopy (CTIC)
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Tiffany Seagroves, PhD, Past President

University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research-Core Labs
Executive Director of the Molecular Resource Center of Excellence
Professor of Pathology

Lyra Griffiths, PhD, Treasurer

Core Director, Associate Scientist
Emory Integrated Genomics Core (EIGC)

Deidre Daria, PhD, Treasurer Elect

Flow Cytometry Research Spec, Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core (FCCS)
University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center

Natasha Browner, PhD, Past Treasurer

Morehouse School of Medicine

Jenny Schafer, PhD, Sponsor Coordinator

Managing Director, Cell Imaging Shared Resource (CISR)
Research Associate Professor, Cell and Developmental Biology
Vanderbilt University

Tania Mesa, Sponsor Coordinator Elect

Molecular Genomics Core
Moffitt Cancer Center 

Angel Sampson, PhD, Sponsor Coordinator Elect

Scientific Director
Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR) Monoclonal Antibody Core
Assistant Scientist
University of Florida

Kristen Massey, MS, Website & Registration Coordinator

Interim Director, Core Facility Program
University of Tennessee

Caroline Roe, MLI, Membership Coordinator

Managing Director, Cancer and Immunology Core (CIC)

Senior Research Specialist,
Cell and Developmental Biology,
Vanderbilt University

Daniel Kraushaar, PhD,  Secretary

Director, Genomic and RNA Profiling (GARP) Core
Assistant Professor
Baylor College of Medicine