Samantha Jo Procasky joins the St. Jude Graduate School with a long-term goal as a scientist to understand how molecular and genetic mechanisms can drive cellular dysfunction and ultimately contribute to complex disease.
A graduate of Lewis University and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, she is particularly interested in leveraging molecular biology, genomics, and computational approaches to uncover disease mechanisms and identify potential therapeutic targets. Throughout her graduate training, Procasky hopes to further develop expertise in these areas while exploring how molecular changes translate into cellular and tissue-level dysfunction, as well as clinical patients.
In the laboratory of Dr. George Souroullas at Washington University School of Medicine, the Wadsworth, Ill., native investigated how oncogenic EZH2 mutations alter epigenetic regulation, gene expression, hematopoiesis, and tumor immune responses using ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, and molecular biology analyses. She later worked as a Statistical Data Analyst in Dr. Michael Province's laboratory, where she developed computational pipelines and analyzed whole-genome sequencing data from the Long Life Family Study to identify genetic determinants of healthy aging and exceptional longevity.
Most recently, as a Research Lab Supervisor in the laboratories of Drs. Christian Zemlin and Ralph Damiano, Procasky has studied the molecular and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying cardiac remodeling and atrial fibrillation in mitral regurgitation. Her work integrates large animal models, advanced cardiac imaging, electrophysiology, histopathology, and single-nucleus transcriptomics to connect molecular signatures with functional disease phenotypes.
In addition to her research training, Procasky has extensive experience in education and mentorship, having taught high school mathematics, including Honors Calculus, Advanced Geometry, Algebra I, and Algebra II, before returning to full-time biomedical research. She also served as an adjunct instructor for Saint Louis University’s Prison Education Program, teaching Intermediate Algebra to incarcerated students and correctional officers.
Procasky chose to join the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences because it provides a uniquely collaborative environment where she can integrate her interests in molecular biology, genomics, computational analysis, and translational medicine to address complex childhood diseases. St. Jude’s mission to advance cures and improve outcomes for children with catastrophic and rare diseases strongly resonates with her desire to conduct research that has a direct and meaningful impact on patients and families. Procasky is also drawn to the institution’s commitment to developing scientists as both researchers and mentors, creating opportunities to grow as a leader while contributing to a community dedicated to scientific excellence and service.
Hometown: Wadsworth, IL
Education:
2020 MS, Data Sciences (Concentration in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics), Lewis University
2018 BS, Biomolecular Chemistry (Minor in Microbiology), University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Awards/Honors/Scholarships:
2016 Titan National Scholar, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Publications:
Yi JJ, Yu J, Procasky S, Banull N, Rahimi M, Sinn L, He J, Kaneko T, Roberts HG, Schill MR, Damiano RJ. Impact of Tricuspid Regurgitation on Outcomes after Cox-Maze IV Procedure. (2025) The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Yi JJ, Yu J, Procasky SJ, Obiarinze R, Rahimi M, Arif B, Wilson LD, Zoller JK, Schill MR, Damiano RJ, Zemlin C. Nanosecond Pulsed Field Ablation: Feasibility of Creating the Cox-Maze Lesion Set on the Beating Heart. (2025) The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Yi JJ, McGilvray M, Yates T, Procasky SJ, Yu J, Berberet C, Banull N, Zheng J, Zoller JK, Schill MR, Zemlin C, Damiano RJ. Left Atrial and Ventricular Remodeling in Chronic Mitral Regurgitation. (2025) The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Zimmerman SM, Procasky SJ, Smith SR, Liu JY, Torrice C, Souroullas GP. Developmental stage and cellular context determine oncogenic and molecular outcomes of Ezh2Y641F mutation in hematopoiesis. (2025) Blood Neoplasia.
Zimmerman S, Nixon SJ, Chen PY, Raj L, Smith RS, Paolini RL, Nay Lin P, Souroullas , GP. Ezh2Y641F mutations co-operate with Stat3 to regulate MHC Class I antigen processing and alter the tumor immune response in melanoma. (2022) Oncogene.