Marika obtained her M.D. degree at the University of Tirana, Albania, where she was also awarded a Specialist Certificate in General Pathology. Marika obtained a Master degree (M.Sc.) in Medical and Pharmaceutical Research at Brussels Free University- VUB (Belgium). Marika performed her Ph.D. thesis at the VUB -Diabetes Research Center. Her work identified cell preparations and conditions in which new beta cells can be formed. In August 2005 she obtained a post-doc position at Pacific Northwest Research Institute, joining Dr. Robertson's group, where she will develop a morphologic project in the field of diabetes.  

Jamie received her Ph.D. in Zoology from North Dakota State University. She first joined the Robertson laboratory at the University of Minnesota and then transferred to Seattle with Dr. Robertson. She has been a staff scientist at PNDRI since1997. Her primary interest lies in insulin gene expression and the dysfunction of pancreatic ß-cells in Type 2 diabetes. She is studying the effects of glucose toxicity and oxidative stress on insulin, PDX-1, and Maf A gene expression.  

Allison is a Seattle University senior who focuses on perifusion studies of islets to assess beneficial effects of antioxidant mimetics.  

Elizabeth received her BS in Physiology from U.C. Davis in 1987 and joined the Robertson lab at the University of Minnesota in 1990. She moved with the lab to PNDRI in 1997. She is the lab's lead technician and is involved with the testing of clinical samples relating to both islets and pancreas transplantation. No stranger to the important role PNDRI plays in training young researchers, Elizabeth spends a lot of time helping those new to the research lab environment gain the skills needed to succeed in their research.  

Susan is a research technician in the Robertson lab. She joined the lab in August 2005. She graduated with a bachelor degree in biology a minor in chemistry from the University of Washington in 2001. She analyzes gene expression by real time RT-PCR and helps manage a mouse colony that over expresses an antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.  

Michela joined the Robertson lab in 2007 and has focused on regulation of glucagon secretion by zinc during states of glucose deprivation, such as hypoglycemia.