Lab Members

Dr. Aaron M. Udager, MD, PhD, is an esteemed Associate Professor of Genitourinary Pathology, Head and Neck Pathology, and Surgical Pathology at the Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan. With a background in surgical and molecular pathology, he possesses clinical expertise in genitourinary, head and neck, and endocrine pathology. Dr. Udager completed his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Michigan Medical School and pursued postgraduate training with fellowships in Surgical Pathology and Genitourinary Pathology. He furthered his academic journey by obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Cell and Developmental Biology from the University of Michigan - Rackham Graduate School. Dr. Udager leads an independently-funded translational genomics research laboratory, where he focuses on unraveling the molecular pathology of genitourinary, head and neck, and endocrine neoplasia. He also serves as the Associate Director of the Pathology Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) at the University of Michigan. With a distinguished academic and professional background, Dr. Udager is dedicated to advancing the field of pathology and contributing to the understanding and treatment of neoplastic diseases. 

Albert earned his Master's Degree in clinical lab science from Michigan State University. As the lab manager, he is involved in all aspects of lab life, including sequencing, maintaining and troubleshooting various lab machines, organizing the lab's sequencing database, and sharing knowledge with others. He is also a coffee connoisseur. In his free time, he enjoys eating tofu, listening to Enya, playing computer games like Starcraft, and cracking jokes.

Sepideh Babania is a researcher who obtained her MD from the Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch, Iran. After spending two years studying the pathological nature of pancreatic cancer, she joined the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology (MCTP) at the University of Michigan to continue her research in cancer biology.

Currently, in her 3rd year of research at the UofM, Sepideh focuses on generating prosthetic and sinonasal cancer mouse models and studying the progenitors of salivary gland cells using mouse cells and organoids. In her free time, Sepideh enjoys playing board games and indulging in her love of mystery series on Netflix. 

 Ehsan Alinia, a physician-scientist, obtained his MD from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran. With six years of experience as a general physician in the real world, he brings a wealth of clinical knowledge to his research. In early 2023, Ehsan joined our prestigious laboratory, where he currently focuses on studying sinonasal cell lines and investigating salivary gland epithelial cells using mouse tissue and organoids.

Outside of his scientific pursuits, Ehsan is an avid soccer enthusiast and a firm believer that soccer is the "real football." He enjoys following the sport and engaging in passionate discussions with colleagues and friends. He also enjoys playing video games and board games.