Patricia E. Zerra, MD
Dr. Patricia Zerra obtained a Bachelor’s of Zoology at Connecticut College, followed by two years as a research technician at Boston Children’s Hospital. She then earned her MD at Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia, followed by completion of a pediatrics residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami. Dr. Zerra moved to Atlanta in 2014 and completed a Pediatric Hematology & Oncology fellowship at Emory University/Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, followed by an additional Transfusion Medicine fellowship.
She is a physician-scientist at Emory University School of Medicine, providing care to pediatric patients with sickle cell disease and other blood disorders. She serves as Principal Investigator of her research lab, which integrates hematology and immunology and is dedicated to translating clinical bedside challenges into laboratory breakthroughs.
James McCoy
James McCoy has over twenty years of research experience. He has taken part in published articles while working at Emory School of Medicine and the CDC in Atlanta. His work has focused on colon cancer, drug oxygen species, drug development, influenza, hemophilia, and sickle cell disease. He has been a part of the Zerra lab for the past five years and is passionately pursuing clinically relevant treatments for sickle cell disease and hemophilia A.
Zahra Naseh
Zahra Naseh earned an MD from Tehran University in Iran. She moved to Atlanta two years ago to join the Zerra lab at the Emory School of Medicine. Outside of working as a full-time lab technician, Zahra is preparing for her United States Medical Licensing Examination.
Megan Fuller
Megan Fuller graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's degree in biology. She worked for numerous science museum education departments around the country before finding her way to Emory. Since 2018, Megan has worked in Emory School of Medicine laboratories as a Lab Manager and Laboratory Technician.
Toni Lorel Chanroo, MD, MPH
Toni Lorel Chanroo, MD, MPH is currently a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellow with a clinical and research focus on sickle cell anemia. Her interests include transfusion-related complications, optimizing transfusion strategies, and improving the transition of care from pediatric to adult hematology services. She will soon join Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as an Assistant Professor in Pediatric Hematology in the summer of 2026.
Nourine Ahmed Kamili, MD, PhD
Nourine Ahmed Kamili completed her MD/PhD training at Emory University, where she also completed a PhD in immunology. She is currently a dermatology resident interested in immunopathology of dermatologic diseases.
Montana Jackson
Montana Jackson is a fourth-year pre-med student from Brunswick, GA, majoring in anthropology and human biology. She has been with the Zerra Lab for the last three years conducting research focused on hemophilia A and Factor VIII inhibitors.
During her undergrad, Montana has presented research findings at Emory’s Pathology Research Day Conferences and ABRCMS, and as part of the SIRE program at the SIRE Spring Symposium. Post graduation, she plans to apply to MD/PhD programs to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.
Sumaiya Dickens
Sumaiya Dickens is a biology major at Emory University (class of 2026) from Brooklyn, New York. She plans to pursue a Master's in Biomedical Engineering and later earn a PhD in immunology.
Ranee Nettey
Ranee Nettey is an undergraduate researcher at Emory University, double-majoring in human health and biology with hopes of becoming an orthodontist. She is deeply passionate about health disparities and understanding the social determinants of health. In Dr. Zerra’s lab, she contributes to an anemia research project, extracting DNA and studying sickle cell anemia in patients, a condition that disproportionately affects underrepresented communities.
Precious Offu
Precious Offu is a second-year student majoring in human health and minoring in African studies. She joined the Zerra lab in 2026, working under Dr. Chanroo to research sickle cell disease. In the future, Precious has hopes of becoming an orthopedic surgeon and opening a free clinic.
Toby Zhou
Toby Zhou is a new addition to the Zerra lab. Originally from Beijing, China, he came to Emory for his undergraduate studies. He is a biology major on the pre-med track and plans to pursue medical school in the future, with a particular interest in emergency medicine and cardiology. He is interested in understanding disease through both molecular and translational approaches.
