Principal Investigator
Dr. Blake “Eason” Hildreth III
Dr. Eason Hildreth hails from Cary, North Carolina and received a BS in Biology from East Carolina University (2000). He then received a DVM (North Carolina State University, 2004) with extensive surgical training through a post-DVM internship (University of Florida, 2005) and residency in small animal surgery (general, orthopedics, surgical oncology, and neurosurgery) (Ohio State University, 2008). During this time he received an intensive complementary training in musculoskeletal imaging. Dr. Hildreth’s MS (2008) and PhD (2014) focused on investigating 1) the roles of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in skeletal development, and 2) the use of PTHrP as a bone-forming agent. Through this, he developed an intense interest in advanced imaging of mice evaluating bone-cancer interactions, bone-forming therapies, genetic modification, or cancer progression.
Upon completion of his PhD, he began a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship with Dr. Michael C. Ostrowski in 2015 in the Ohio State University College of Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, where he started working on transcription factors and microRNAs regulating myeloid, more specifically macrophage and osteoclast, differentiation and function. In May 2017, he relocated with Dr. Ostrowski to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to complete his post-doctoral training. Here, Dr. Hildreth was awarded a K01 – Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award. In July 2019 he became a tenure track Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham in the Department of Pathology – Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology. He is also an Associate Scientist in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Comprehensive Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, Bone, and Autoimmunity Center, and the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences. His work focuses on the role of the tumor microenvironment, primarily macrophages and fibroblasts, in breast cancer and the tumor microenvironment, primarily macrophages and osteoclasts, in bone metastatic malignancies. This involves both genetic and therapeutic targeting of these cell types using syngeneic genetically-engineered mouse models, novel cell-specific drug delivery systems, and models of breast cancer and their metastasis. In 2021, Eason became a Pittman Scholar in the UAB School of Medicine, began serving as the Co-Director of the new Graduate Biomedical Sciences (GBS) PhD Introduction to Pathobiology Course (GBS752), and started leading a breakout session for first year Cancer Biology theme GBS PhD students. From this, GBS students selected Eason to receive the GBS Outstanding Teaching Award for 2022.
Outside of UAB, he enjoys spending time with his wife Emily and American Cocker Spaniel named Raleigh. In addition, he has a great interest in walks/adventures with Emily and Raleigh, espresso, barbecuing/smoking, and is an avid fan of the soccer team Liverpool FC.
Current Members
Graduate Students:
Bailey Echols is from Dora, AL and received his BS in Genetics and Genomic Sciences from UAB in 2022. In 2019, Bailey began doing research in the Edmonds lab as an undergrad, where his research focused on the roles of non-coding RNA on tumor growth and metastasis in breast and lung cancer. In 2022, Bailey was accepted into the UAB GBS program and the AMC21 Graduate Scholar program. After rotating in the Hildreth lab, Bailey officially joined the lab in March 2023.
In May 2022, Bailey married his lovely wife, Laura, and enjoys spending time with her in his free time. In addition, Bailey enjoys watching, following, and playing various sports.
Undergraduate Students:
Victoria Ordonez was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and heard about UAB from a family friend, and was instantly drawn to the university. Victoria is currently getting her Bachelors Degree in Cancer Biology and plans to attending medical school after graduation. Victoria’s main project in the Hildreth lab is researching cell differentiation in cancer.
Victoria’s favorite animals are pandas and cows.
Research Staff:
Will Meehan received his bachelors degree in finance from Auburn University in 2016. After graduation he was unsure of how or where he wanted to begin his career. Will decided to move to Colorado for a summer to work as a wrangler on a horse ranch. By the end of the summer, he had become the head of equine operations and ended up staying for 2 years before his interests led him back to Alabama. In 2021, Will received his Masters degree in Biology from Jacksonville State University and began working at UAB after graduation. Will met his wife, Caroline, while he was in graduate school and got married in August of 2021. He joined the Hildreth lab in May of 2022, and is starting graduate school at UAB in the fall.
Will’s professional interests are pathology, oncology, virology, and infectious diseases.
Will’s hobbies include fly fishing, horses, and their dog Cooper
Lab Alumni:
Research Staff
- Katy Marotto – Worked as a Researcher III and Lab Manager (September 2020-August 2022) before leaving to start as a PhD student in the BBSP program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)