Dr. Serene Lai was born in Singapore and moved to North America when she was a teenager.  She completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Purdue University in 2001, including an Honors thesis research project involving muscle differentiation and the cell cycle in mice.  In 2005, she completed a Masters of Science in Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a research focus on epigenetics, telomerase, the cell cycle, and aging.  She completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Ontario Veterinary College in 2010, during which she did research with probiotics and the immune system in pigs.  After graduating she worked as an emergency veterinarian and because she had developed interest in neurology and neuropathology, pursued a 1-year private practice specialty internship.  Following that, she completed a residency in Neurology and Neurosurgery at the Auburn University.  During this time she also concurrently worked on a second Master’s Thesis Degree, studying the effect of benzimidazoles in canine glioma cells.  She obtained her Neurology board certification with the American Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2016.  

Her interests are in spinal surgery, the use of benzimidazole in neurooncology, and immune-mediated meningoencephalitides.

When she is not working, she is active in community service, and pursues interests such as Church Liturgy, Opera and Jazz.

Scientific Publications (Peer reviewed unless indicated)

1. Lai, S. R., Castello, S. A., Robinson, A. Koehler, J. W. 2017. In vitro anti-tubulin effects of mebendazole and fenbendazole on canine glioma cells. Vet Camp Oncol. dol: 1O.1111/vco.12288

2. Shrader, S., Lai, S., Cline, K., Moon, R. 2016. Gliomatosis cerebri in the brain of a cat. Vet 5ci._3. 13; doi:10.3390/vetsci3030013

3. Lai. S. R. 2009. Atrioventricular dystrophy in a 5-month-old English springer spaniel. Can Vet J. 50:1286-1287

4. Rupa, P., Schmied, J., Lai, S., Wilkie, B. N. 2009. Attenuation of allergy to ovomucoid in pigs by neonatal treatment with heat-killed Escherichia coli or E. coli producing porcine IFN-y. Vet Immunol and Immunop. 132:78-83

5. Lai. S. R., Andrews, L. G., Tollefsbol, T. O. 2007. hTERT knockdown in human embryonic kidney cells using double-stranded RNA. Methods in Molecular Biology. 405:23-27

6. Lai. S. R., Andrews, L. G., Tollefsbol, T. O. 2007. RNA interference using a plasmid construct expressing short hairpin RNA. Methods in Molecular Biology. 405:31-37

7. Lai, S. R., Cunningham, A. P., Huynh, V. Q., Andrews, L. G., Tollefsbol, T. O. 2007. Evidence of extra- telomeric effects of hTERT and its regulation involving a feedback loop. Exp Cell Res. 313(2):322-330

8. Lai, S. R., Phipps, S., Liu, L., Andrews, L. G., Tollefsbol, T. O. 2005. Epigenetic control of telomerase in aging systems. Frontiers of Bioscience. 10:1779-1796

9. Liu, L., Lai. S., Andrews, L. G., Tollefsbol, T.O. 2004. Genetic and epigenetic modulation of telomerase activity in development and disease. Gene. 340(1):1-10

10. Williams, A., Lai. S., Woodfin, W. F., Wylie, R., and Tollefsbol, T. O. 2004. Expression of retinoic acid receptors in differentiating human leukemia cells. McNair Chronicle (non-peer reviewed)