Book chapter on biological ageing in 'Indicators of animal well-being: Guidelines for valid use' 2025
M. Bateson, L.A. Seeker
Book Chapter - In preparation. Scheduled publication: 2026
About Me
I'm a Senior Scientist in Bioengineering at Stanford University, where I work at the interface of spatial genomics, human biology, and data-driven discovery. My research focuses on understanding how cellular identity, aging, and disease emerge from spatially organized gene expression across a wide variety of human tissues, with a particular interest in the human nervous system.
My perspective is shaped by a medical background in veterinary medicine and long-standing training in cellular aging biology. I lead and contribute to large-scale efforts to build multimodal human tissue atlases, integrating spatial transcriptomics with single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, including work on Stanford's HAI Hoffman-Yee–funded Virtual Cell initiatives.
My research combines hands-on wet-lab biology with computational and statistical analysis to resolve cellular heterogeneity across tissue regions, developmental stages, and aging trajectories. A recurring theme in my work is how cells of the same type behave differently depending on their anatomical and microenvironmental context.
What I Work On
My work spans spatial genomics, computational biology, and translational research on human tissues.
Spatial Genomics & Human Tissue Atlases
Leading large-scale efforts to build multimodal human tissue atlases by integrating spatial transcriptomics with single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Contributing to Stanford's Virtual Cell initiatives, developing scalable representations of human cellular organization across diverse tissues and developmental stages.
Neuroscience & Cellular Aging
Investigating how cellular identity and aging processes unfold in the human nervous system. Combining spatial context with transcriptomic data to understand regional and cell-type-specific aging trajectories, and how microenvironmental factors shape cellular behavior across brain regions.
AI-Assisted Biological Discovery
Developing and evaluating annotation and quality-control strategies for complex spatial datasets, including human-in-the-loop and AI-assisted workflows that integrate histology, spatial context, and transcriptomic information. Interested in how emerging AI methods can support biological reasoning and help scale expert knowledge in high-dimensional human data.
Background
Since Sep. '23
Senior Basic Life Scientist
Stanford University, Bioengineering – Quake Lab
San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA
May '18 - Apr. '23
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
Nov. '12 - Jul. '17
PhD, Genomics & Disease Resistance
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct. '05 - May '11
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Freie Universität Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Oct. '04 - Sep. '05
Medicine
Freie Universität Berlin
Berlin, Germany
Publications
A selection of my publications. For a complete list, see my Google Scholar profile.
Google ScholarBenchmarking cell type and gene set annotation by large language models with AnnDictionary 2025
G. Crowley, Tabula Sapiens Consortium, S.R. Quake
Nature Communications
Tabula Sapiens reveals transcription factor expression, senescence effects, and sex-specific features in cell types from 28 human organs and tissues 2024
The Tabula Sapiens Consortium, S.R. Quake
BioRxiv - BioRxiv, In review at Cell
Metformin enhances human oligodendrocyte function by altering metabolism 2024
N.-L. Kazakou, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., A. Williams
Nature Communications
Single-Nuclei Histone Modification Profiling of the Adult Human Central Nervous System Unveils Epigenetic Memory of Developmental Programs 2024
M. Kabbe, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., G. Castelo-Branco
BioRxiv - BioRxiv, In submission
Mapping the glial transcriptome in Huntington's disease using snRNAseq: Selective disruption of glial signatures across brain regions 2024
S.M.K. Bøstrand, L.A. Seeker, et al., A. Williams
Acta Neuropathologica Communications - BioRxiv, accepted in Acta Neuropathologica Communications
Cell type-specific effects of age and sex on human cortical neurons 2024
J.-F. Chien, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., E.A. Mukamel
Neuron
No Correlative Evidence of Costs of Infection or Immunity on Leucocyte Telomere Length in a Wild Population of Soay Sheep 2024
S. Ravindran, et al., L.A. Seeker, H. Froy
Proc. R. Soc. B - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Brain matters: unveiling the distinct contributions of region, age, and sex to glia diversity and CNS function 2023
L.A. Seeker, N. Bestard-Cuche, S. Jäkel, N.L. Kazakou, S. Bostrand, A. Kilpatrick, N. Henderson, C. Vallejos, G. La Manno, G. Castelo-Branco, A. Williams
Acta Neuropathol. Commun. - Acta Neuropathologica Communications
Loss of the heterogeneous expression of flippase ATP11B leads to cerebral small vessel disease in a normotensive rat model 2022
S. Quick, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., A. Williams
Acta Neuropathologica
Oligodendroglia heterogeneity in the human central nervous system 2022
L.A. Seeker, A. Williams
Acta Neuropathologica
The Association between Female Reproductive Performance and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Wild Soay Sheep 2021
S. Ravindran, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., D.H. Nussey
Molecular Ecology
Heritable variation in telomere length predicts mortality in Soay sheep 2021
H. Froy, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., D.H. Nussey
PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Telomere attrition rates are associated with weather conditions and predict productive lifespan in dairy cattle 2021
L.A. Seeker, S.L. Underwood, R.V. Wilbourn, J. Dorrens, H. Froy, R. Holland, J.J. Ilska, A. Psifidi, A. Bagnall, B. Whitelaw, M. Coffey, G. Banos, D.H. Nussey
Scientific Reports
Telomere shortening correlates with harsh weather conditions in the bat species Myotis myotis 2020
L.A. Seeker
Molecular Ecology
The Genetic Architecture of Bovine Telomere Length in Early Life and Association With Animal Fitness 2019
J. Ilska-Warner, et al., L.A. Seeker, et al., G. Banos
Frontiers in Genetics
Consequences of measurement error in qPCR telomere data: A simulation study 2019
D. Nettle, L. Seeker, D. Nussey, H. Froy, M. Bateson
PLOS One
Bovine telomere dynamics and the association between telomere length and productive lifespan 2018
L.A. Seeker, J.J. Ilska, A. Psifidi, R.V. Wilbourn, S.L. Underwood, J. Fairlie, et al., G. Banos
Scientific Reports
Longitudinal changes in telomere length and associated genetic parameters in dairy cattle analysed using random regression models 2018
L.A. Seeker, J.J. Ilska, A. Psifidi, R.V. Wilbourn, S.L. Underwood, J. Fairlie, et al., G. Banos
PLOS One
Method Specific Calibration Corrects for DNA Extraction Method Effects on Relative Telomere Length Measurements by Quantitative PCR 2016
L.A. Seeker, R. Holland, S. Underwood, J. Fairlie, A. Psifidi, J.J. Ilska, et al.
PLOS One
Fun Projects
Sweet Alternative
Community Gardening Initiative
A community project promoting tulip bulbs instead of candy for Halloween. The idea is simple: instead of giving out candy that's gone in minutes, we give children flower bulbs that they can plant and watch bloom in spring. The bulbs are then planted as a community to make our shared spaces more beautiful.
In partnership with Redwood City Parks, we've organized community planting events where neighbors come together to plant hundreds of bulbs in local green spaces. It's a way to create lasting beauty in our neighborhood while teaching children about gardening and environmental stewardship.
Single Cell Science Podcast
Science Communication & Education
Co-hosting a podcast with Dr. Sarah Jäkel where we explain the principles of single cell RNA sequencing, discuss current developments and publications, and interview fellow scientists. The podcast is designed for anyone starting their own single cell RNA-seq experiment, current users, or those wanting to better understand this exciting method.
Fundraising Through Running
Supporting MS Research
Only recently I discovered running as a way to raise money for research. I've run a couple of half marathons and raised some money for the MS Society by doing so. I plan to do more of this in the future.