Headshot of Dr.Erica S. Modeste

Dr. Erica S. Modeste

Director, Content Tutoring & Quantitative and Programming Support | Weinstein Learning Center
  • Profile

    Erica S. Modeste began her academic journey with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Richmond, where she conducted research using molecular dynamics simulations to study DNA polymerase function and carried out a community-based scientific research project examining how 3rd and 4th graders in the town of Gurabo, Dominican Republic, perceived their environment. These experiences deepened her commitment to fostering supportive spaces where underrepresented students can find community and encouragement.

    She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology from Emory University, where her research integrated experimental and computational techniques to identify racial differences in Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers. Utilizing mass spectrometry alongside programming languages such as R and Python, Erica’s work provided novel insights into disease mechanisms affecting underrepresented populations. Throughout graduate school, she mentored students through Emory’s Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) and the Laney Graduate School Summer Opportunity for Academic Research (LGS-SOAR), while actively supporting outreach initiatives in diverse local and international communities.

    Building on this interdisciplinary foundation, Erica now serves as a director at the Weinstein Learning Center supporting Content Tutoring and Quantitative and Programming Support. In this work, she leverages her combined expertise in cultural awareness, scientific research, and community engagement to foster inclusive environments that empower diverse scholars and advance innovative research. 

    Expand All
  • Publications
    Journal Articles

    Wu EY, Walsh AR, Materne EC, Hiltner EP, Zielinski B, Miller BR 3rd, Mawby L, Modeste E, Parish CA, Barnes WM, Kermekchiev MB. A conservative isoleucine to leucine mutation causes major rearrangements and cold sensitivity in KlenTaq1 DNA polymerase. Biochemistry. 2015 Jan 27;54(3):881-9. doi: 10.1021/bi501198f. Epub 2015 Jan 9. PMID: 25537790; PMCID: PMC4310628. 

    Modeste E, Mawby L, Miller B 3rd, Wu E, Parish CA. A Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Thermostability of Cold-Sensitive I707L KlenTaq1 DNA Polymerase and Its Wild-Type Counterpart. J Chem Inf Model. 2019 May 28;59(5):2423-2431. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00022. Epub 2019 Apr 8. PMID: 30897332.

    Higginbotham L, Dammer EB, Duong DM, Modeste E, Montine TJ, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Seyfried NT. Network Analysis of a Membrane-Enriched Brain Proteome across Stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Proteomes. 2019 Aug 27;7(3):30. doi: 10.3390/proteomes7030030. PMID: 31461916; PMCID: PMC6789842.

    Huang M, Modeste E, Dammer E, Merino P, Taylor G, Duong DM, Deng Q, Holler CJ, Gearing M, Dickson D, Seyfried NT, Kukar T. Network analysis of the progranulin-deficient mouse brain proteome reveals pathogenic mechanisms shared in human frontotemporal dementia caused by GRN mutations. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2020 Oct 7;8(1):163. doi: 10.1186/s40478-020-01037-x. PMID: 33028409; PMCID: PMC7541308.

    Hampel H, Nisticò R, Seyfried NT, Levey AI, Modeste E, Lemercier P, Baldacci F, Toschi N, Garaci F, Perry G, Emanuele E, Valenzuela PL, Lucia A, Urbani A, Sancesario GM, Mapstone M, Corbo M, Vergallo A, Lista S; Alzheimer Precision Medicine Initiative (APMI). Omics sciences for systems biology in Alzheimer's disease: State-of-the-art of the evidence. Ageing Res Rev. 2021 Aug;69:101346. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101346. Epub 2021 Apr 27. PMID: 33915266.

    Dammer EB, Ping L, Duong DM, Modeste ES, Seyfried NT, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Johnson ECB. Multi-platform proteomic analysis of Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid and plasma reveals network biomarkers associated with proteostasis and the matrisome. Alzheimers Res Ther. 2022 Nov 17;14(1):174. doi: 10.1186/s13195-022-01113-5. PMID: 36384809; PMCID: PMC9670630.

    Watson CM, Dammer EB, Ping L, Duong DM, Modeste E, Carter EK, Johnson ECB, Levey AI, Lah JJ, Roberts BR, Seyfried NT. Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease. Sci Data. 2023 May 9;10(1):261. doi: 10.1038/s41597-023-02158-3. PMID: 37160957; PMCID: PMC10170100.

    Scott T, Adderley D, Ali Y, Amanuel M, Blake A, Callender M, Carter C, Fokwa HD, Gooden RO, Granger A, Gunn K, Henderson A, Kitimet M, Modeste E, Stewart Z, Teah J, Wairegi S, Ward LW, Parish CA. Voices of Black Talent in Chemistry: Retention Strategies and Personal Success Stories. J Am Chem Soc. 2023 Jun 14;145(23):12426-12428. doi: 10.1021/jacs.3c05185. PMID: 37312518.

    Modeste ES, Ping L, Watson CM, Duong DM, Dammer EB, Johnson ECB, Roberts BR, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Seyfried NT. Quantitative proteomics of cerebrospinal fluid from African Americans and Caucasians reveals shared and divergent changes in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener. 2023 Jul 19;18(1):48. doi: 10.1186/s13024-023-00638-z. PMID: 37468915; PMCID: PMC10355042.

    Jones S, Blake A, Corado-Santiago L, Crenshaw J, Goldman E, Gomez F, Hall C, Hoke H, Holmes S, Kornegay B, Kwarteng P, Lawson B, Leber M, Leconte G, Modeste E, Nolin K, Norris M, Santinni Roma J, Swackhammer A, Torres M, Wares J, Williams DE, Hill A, Hoke K, Parish C and Pierce BD. 2023. A SMART decade: outcomes of an integrated, inclusive, first-year college-level STEM curricular innovation. Front. Educ. 8:1152339. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1152339 

    Reddy JS, Heath L, Linden AV, Allen M, Lopes KP, Seifar F, Wang E, Ma Y, Poehlman WL, Quicksall ZS, Runnels A, Wang Y, Duong DM, Yin L, Xu K, Modeste ES, Shantaraman A, Dammer EB, Ping L, Oatman SR, Scanlan J, Ho C, Carrasquillo MM, Atik M, Yepez G, Mitchell AO, Nguyen TT, Chen X, Marquez DX, Reddy H, Xiao H, Seshadri S, Mayeux R, Prokop S, Lee EB, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Teich AF, Haroutunian V, Fox EJ, Gearing M, Wingo A, Wingo T, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Dickson DW, Barnes LL, De Jager P, Zhang B, Bennett D, Seyfried NT, Greenwood AK, Ertekin-Taner N. Bridging the gap: Multi-omics profiling of brain tissue in Alzheimer's disease and older controls in multi-ethnic populations. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Oct;20(10):7174-7192. doi: 10.1002/alz.14208. Epub 2024 Aug 30. PMID: 39215503; PMCID: PMC11485084.

    Seifar F, Fox EJ, Shantaraman A, Liu Y, Dammer EB, Modeste E, Duong DM, Yin L, Trautwig AN, Guo Q, Xu K, Ping L, Reddy JS, Allen M, Quicksall Z, Heath L, Scanlan J, Wang E, Wang M, Linden AV, Poehlman W, Chen X, Baheti S, Ho C, Nguyen T, Yepez G, Mitchell AO, Oatman SR, Wang X, Carrasquillo MM, Runnels A, Beach T, Serrano GE, Dickson DW, Lee EB, Golde TE, Prokop S, Barnes LL, Zhang B, Haroutunian V, Gearing M, Lah JJ, De Jager P, Bennett DA, Greenwood A, Ertekin-Taner N, Levey AI, Wingo A, Wingo T, Seyfried NT. Large-scale deep proteomic analysis in Alzheimer's disease brain regions across race and ethnicity. Alzheimers Dement. 2024 Dec;20(12):8878-8897. doi: 10.1002/alz.14360. Epub 2024 Nov 13. PMID: 39535480; PMCID: PMC11667503.