Faculty & Staff
Erin H. Seeley, Ph.D.
Mass Spectrometry Imaging Core Facility Director
Research Group Leader
Primary Contact
EHSeeley@MDAnderson.org
2SCR3.3029
346-723-6170
Dr. Seeley was introduced to MALDI mass spectrometry as an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. A. Daniel Jones at Penn State University, where her work focused on understanding the effects of oxidative stress on algae.
She completed her graduate work in analytical chemistry at Purdue University under the direction of Dr. Fred E. Regnier in comparative phosphoproteomics. During this time, she developed a keen interest in biomedical applications of mass spectrometry.
Dr. Seeley then moved to Vanderbilt University for a postdoctoral position in the newly form Mass Spectrometry Imaging Core under the direction of Dr. Richard M. Caprioli, the inventor of MALDI Imaging. After one year, she was promoted to associate director of the core, a position that she held for eight years. During this time, she worked closely with numerous members of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center on a wide variety of cancer research projects. While at Vanderbilt, she developed workflows for histology-directed mass spectrometry profiling of tissue sections.
She then spent six years working at contract research organizations offering MALDI MSI services. During her tenure at one of these, New River Labs, she developed and launch an MSI-based melanoma diagnostic test.
In 2020, Dr. Seeley moved to UT Austin, where she founded the CPRIT-funded Mass Spectrometry Imaging Core. While in this role, she developed and optimized workflows for sequential analysis of multiple classes of analytes from the same tissue section. Throughout her time in Austin, Seeley worked closely with numerous members of the MD Anderson research community, in addition to investigators from across the country.
In August 2025, Seeley joined MD Anderson to set up the new Mass Spectrometry Imaging Core Facility.
Research Interests
Dr. Seeley is passionate about clinical applications of mass spectrometry imaging with a goal of moving from a research technology to a diagnostic/prognostic tool. She is also enjoys developing new sample preparation and multiplexing strategies to maximize data coverage from minimal sample material.
Over her 20+ years in the field, Dr. Seeley has become a key opinion leader in mass spectrometry imaging and enjoys working closely with vendors to help to advance the technology as well as training the next generation of mass spectrometry imaging scientists.