Meet Our Lab Members
Brian Robinson, MD, PhD
Dr. Robinson is a physician-scientist in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. He has a long-standing interest in studying epithelial cell biology and signal transduction, and how developmental programs contribute to intestinal diseases and cancer.
During his PhD, Dr. Robinson worked in the Moberg Lab to describe novel cell-proliferation programs in Drosophila, and he was among the first to describe how cell polarity programs can regulate tissue growth in Metazoan. He also contributed to novel studies linking endocytic trafficking and nuclear receptor signaling to the emerging Hippo/SWH tumor suppressor network. During his postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Andrew Neish, Dr. Robinson utilized his expertise in developmental biology and cell biology to investigate novel cell-signaling pathways involved in oxidative stress responses and host microbe interactions, including those downstream of the transcription factor Nrf2.
Dr. Robinson currently oversees a basic science research lab focused on dissecting the roles of ROS-dependent and inflammatory signaling pathways in gastrointestinal development and disease. In addition, Dr. Robinson also enjoys clinical responsibilities, which include subspecialty sign-out as a member of the Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology service. Dr. Robinson also serves as the Scientific Director of Winship’s Cancer Tissue Pathology Shared Resource (CTPSR), which provides biobanking and histology services to the Emory community to facilitate tissue-based studies of human cancer. Outside the lab, Brian enjoys cooking, biking, playing ping pong, and coaching softball and baseball.
Liping Luo
Liping Luo is a Senior Research Specialist with more than 20 years of experience in biomedical research. She joined the lab in 2019 and is familiar with mouse and Drosophila models, as well as biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology. With over 15 years of prior lab management experience at Emory University, she is skilled in supporting research operations, training lab members, and ensuring smooth, compliant laboratory workflows.
Doug Terry, PhD
Doug Terry is a T32 Translational GI & Hepatology Postdoctoral Fellow with a broad background in genetics, molecular biology, and clinical chemistry. Doug has a highly penetrant fascination with how cells communicate within and between tissues to maintain homeostasis and respond to injury. He achieved his PhD in genetics and molecular biology for work describing the interplay between local and systemic steroid hormone synthesis required for proper tissue regeneration in a Drosophila model of tissue injury. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Robinson lab, Doug applies Drosophila and murine models to study the cell signaling pathways underlying susceptibility to intestinal injury and colitis through the use of genetic screens, RT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry.
Beyond research, Doug looks forward to playing volleyball and beating Brian in ping pong.
Josh Lee
Josh is a second-year undergraduate student studying chemistry on the pre-med track. He joined the Robinson lab in March 2025 and has continued to develop basic fly husbandry skills. Currently, Josh is researching a revolutionary gene, Eip63E, which is implicated in increasing survival of flies under intestinal injury. Outside the lab, Josh enjoys playing basketball and playing French horn in the Emory University Symphony Orchestra.
Amy Liu
Amy Liu is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in biology on the pre-dental track. She joined the lab in Fall 2025. Since then, she has been developing basic fly husbandry skills and researching the gene Eip75B, which codes for ecdysone-induced nuclear receptor proteins and regulates fly developmental transitions. Outside of the lab, Amy enjoys crocheting amigurumi and baking.
Former Lab Members
Amanda Michno, Winship GA-YES Scholar
Amanda Michno is a Cherokee High School student from Canton, Georgia who joined us for 8 weeks over the summer of 2025 as a part of the Winship GA-YES program. She studied the cell-specific role of Nrf2 in the Drosophila melanogaster intestine while also looking at Nrf2 in human tissue samples to investigate its association with human intestinal disease progression. She has presented this work at the NorthWest Georgia Regional Science Fair and there earned a bid to the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair. Additionally, her work with us also helped her qualify as a current semi-finalist for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. She says that one of her favorite memories from our lab was looking at a fruit fly through a microscope for the first time and being exposed to a whole new world of science, as well as meeting some incredible people she truly looks up to.
Highlights & Achievements
Northwest Georgia Science and Engineering Fair | Semi-Finalist for the 2026 Governor’s Honors Program | GA YES (Youth Enjoy Science) Program