People

Leadership

Dr. Austin Smothers is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University. Dr. Smothers helps lead research to investigate the effects of tumor-treating fields, a novel form of radiotherapy, on triple-negative breast cancer. In addition, Dr. Smothers also serves as the Program Director for the new Certificate in Clinical Diagnostics, which aims to professionally develop students interested in working in clinical laboratory settings and to prepare students for national accreditation in laboratory sciences via the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

In his role as the Director of Operations for the REDDI Lab, Dr. Smothers oversees all aspects of the lab, including financial, operational, and facilities management, strategic business planning, and internal and external partnerships.

Dr. Delphine Dean is the Ron and Jane Lindsay Family Innovation Professor and the Department Chair of Bioengineering at Clemson University. Dr. Dean currently leads several studies to understand how the nanoscale structures and low-dose ionizing radiation affect cells and tissues. In addition, she works on translational design projects aimed at creating novel medical devices, sensors, and instrumentation for resource-poor settings.

Dean is also the Administrative Director of the Center for Innovative Medical Devices and Sensors and the new Research Education in Disease Diagnosis and Intervention (REDDI) Lab, which includes Clemson's only CLIA-certified high complexity diagnostic laboratory. She advises the strategic and educational direction of the lab.

Dr. Michael Friez is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics. Following his graduate training, he began working at the Greenwood Genetic Center to pursue fellowship training in Medical Genetics. Dr. Friez assumed the Director of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory position. In 2008, Dr. Friez was named Director of the Diagnostic Laboratories. His primary duties as Director are to supervise the diverse genetic testing activities the laboratory has developed since its inception. Diagnostic protocols for testing a variety of conditions related to intellectual disabilities, muscular dystrophies, skeletal dysplasias, and other adult-onset genetic conditions are utilized on a daily basis.

Dr. Carolyn Banister is an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Clemson University. Dr. Banister is currently working on the development of a saliva-based test for efficient detection of concussions, which can help advise return-to-work and return-to-play protocols for university faculty, staff, students, and athletes. She also led a major COVID-19 testing facility at the University of South Carolina that served the entire state, showcasing her commitment to public health.

As the Technical Supervisor for the REDDI Lab, Banister oversees the development, validation, verification, and implementation of all new and existing diagnostic testing, as well as ensuring that all operations performed at the REDDI Lab are compliant with state and federal guidelines.

Dr. Lesslie Pekarek is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. After graduating from Clemson with an undergraduate degree in microbiology, she earned her M.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in 2007. Pekarek joined the Clemson University Student Health Services team in 2016 after spending nearly six years as a family physician at Baptist Easley Hospital. In November 2019, she earned a full-time appointment as director of medical services at Redfern Health Center. In addition to caring for students, Pekarek oversees Redfern’s staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, as well as laboratory and radiology services.