Students, Fellows & Scholars

• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Tunc Akbas
  
  • MentorConor Walsh
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Soft Robotics, Bioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsBiomechanics, Soft robotics, Control systems
  • EducationPh.D., The University of Texas at Austin, Mechanical Engineering, 2018; M.S., Sabanci University, Mechatronics Engineering, 2012; B.S., Sabanci University, Mechatronics Engineering, 2010
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Amarendra Badugu
  
  • MentorMichael Levin
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsStudying long range physiological information flow in cells and organisms
  • EducationPh.D. Genetics and Tissue Mechanics, University of Zurich, Switzerland 2018; M.S. Computational and Systems Biology, Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden, 2012; B.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering, 2006
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Haiqing Bai
  
  • MentorDonald Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsOrgan-on-chips, influenza infection, gene therapy, lung edema
  • EducationPh.D., Pathology, University of Rochester, 2018; B.S., Systems Biology, University of Science and Technology of China, 2012
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Amir Bein, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsSmall intestine physiology, inflammatory bowel diseases, gut barrier function in health and disease, nutrients absorption and their effect on intestinal epithelial cells, biosensors, cryo-preservation of primary and stem cells.
  • EducationPh.D, Nutritional Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Israel. R.D. Training in Nutrition, Kaplan Medical Center, Meuchedet Clinics & Ministry of Health Israel. B.Sc.Nutr (Honors). The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Xi (Cathy) Chen, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsHuman organ-on-chips, nano-bio interaction, nanotoxicology.
  • EducationPh.D Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the University of Melbourne (Australia), 2016.
    M.E Materials Engineering, Tsinghua University (China), 2012.
    B.E Chemistry, Jilin University (China), 2009.
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Apeksha P. Damania
  
  • MentorsChristopher Chen, Sangeeta Bhatia
  • Focus Area3D Organ Engineering
  • Research InterestsLiver tissue engineering, Regenerative and translational medicine, Biomaterials
  • EducationPhD, Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India, 2017; B.E. Biotechnology, PES Institute of Technology Bangalore, India, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Irene de Lázaro
  
  • MentorDave Mooney
  • Focus AreaImmuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsNanomaterials, tissue regeneration, immunomodulation
  • EducationPh.D, Regenerative Medicine, University College London, 2015; MSc, Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of London, 2011; MPharm, Pharmacy, Alcalá University, Madrid, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Cicely W. Fadel, M.D., Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald Ingber
  • Focus AreaBiomimetic Microsystems
  • Research InterestsInfluences of microenvironment on resident cell populations; Organ-on-a-chip
  • EducationFellowship, Harvard Perinatal-Neonatal Program; Pediatrics Residency, Children's National, 2015; M.D., Ph.D. Yale University, Neuroscience, 2012; B.A. University of Virginia, Cellular and Molecular Biology, 2001
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Benjamin Freedman, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDavid J. Mooney
  • Focus AreasAdaptive Material Technologies, Bioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsBiomaterials, drug delivery, biomechanics, orthopedics, tendon/ligament, tissue engineering, structure-function relationships
  • EducationPh.D., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 2017;
    B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Viktoras Frismantas, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Researc InterestsHematologic malignancies, tumor microenvironment, bone marrow function in health and disease, tissue engineering, advanced in vitro models, high throughput screening, preclinical drug development
  • EducationPh.D., Cancer Biology, University of Zurich, 2016; M.Sc., Genetics, Vilnius University, 2010; B.Sc., Molecular Biology, Vilnius University, 2008
• 
  Graduate Student
  Alexander Garruss, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorGeorge Church
  • Focus AreaSynthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDesign and engineering of biomolecules and microbes to expand sustainable options for world energy production, commodity chemical synthesis, and environmental remediation
  • EducationPh.D. Candidate, Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics, Harvard University; M.S., Computer Science, University of Kansas; B.S., Kansas State University
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Vaskar Gnyawali
  
  • MentorDonald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsMicrofluidics, Biomedical devices, Drug delivery, Diagnostics
  • EducationPh.D., Mechanical Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada, 2018; M.Sc., Microsystems Engineering, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, 2013; B.E., Computer Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Nikhil Gopalkrishnan, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research Interests
  • EducationPh.D., Computer Science and Engineering, 2012; B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, 2006
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Jennifer Grant
  
  • MentorDonald Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research Interests Organ-on-chips, analytical technique integration, mass spectrometry, microfluidics, metabolism
  • Education Ph.D., Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2018; B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, 2013; B.S. Applied Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, 2013
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Junling Guo, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorSamir Mitragotri
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Living Cellular Devices, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsPolyphenols, Collagen fiber, Curli fiber, Self-assembly, Surface functionalization, Metal-Phenolic Networks
  • EducationPh.D., Nanostructured Materials and Interface Group, The University of Melbourne, Australia, 2016. M.S., Sichuan University, China, and National Chiao-Tung University, Taiwan, 2012.
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Zohreh Izadifar, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, 3D Organ Engineering
  • Research InterestsBiomimetic tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, 3D bioprinting, advanced biomedical imaging
  • EducationPh.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 2015; M.Sc. Civil and Geological Engineering-Hydroinformatics, University of Saskatchewan, 2010
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Kaushik Jayaram, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorRob Wood
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Soft Robotics
  • Research InterestsBiomechanics, robustness, bioinspired robotics, distributed sensing
  • EducationPh.D. in Integrative Biology at University of California Berkeley (2015); M.Tech. in Computer Integrated Manufacturing and B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (2009)
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Seunghee Jeong, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorsGeorge Whitesides and Robert Wood
  • Focus AreasAdaptive Material Technologies, Bioinspired Soft Robotics
  • Research InterestsDesigning of soft and adaptive materials and systems, Bioinspired structures, mechanisms and motion, Soft robotics, Microsystems and fabrication techniques
  • EducationPhD. Engineering Sciences, Uppsala University, 2016
• 
  Graduate Student
  Mike Jin
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaSynthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsMolecular and cellular computation, biomolecules as programmable information carriers and sensors, theoretical limits for biocomputation
  • EducationB.S., Computer Science and Mathematics, Yale University, 2013; B.S., Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, 2013
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Youngeun Kim, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDNA Nanotechnology, Programmable Nanomaterials, DNA-Mediated Nanoparticle Assembly, Synthetic Biology, Dynamic DNA Systems
  • EducationPh.D., Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2016; B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, double major in Biomedical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Jina Ko
  
  • MentorsRalph Weissleder, David Weitz
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsMicrofluidics, Diagnostics, Extracellular Vesicles, Immunotherapy
  • EducationPh.D., Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 2018; B.A. French Studies, B.S. Bioengineering, Rice University, 2013
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Vinu Krishnan, M.S.E., Ph.D.
  
  • MentorSamir Mitragotri 
  • Focus AreaAdaptive Material Technologies, Living Cellular Devices, Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsBio-Inspired Materials, Programmable Nanomaterials, Immuno-Materials, Nanomedicine, Drug Delivery
  • EducationPh.D., Materials Science & Engineering, University of Delaware, 2015; M.S.E., Biomedical & Polymer Engineering, The University of Akron - Ohio, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Esak Lee, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorChristopher Chen; Donald Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsOrgan-on-chips, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, cancer, vascular diseases
  • EducationPh.D., Bioengineering, Johns Hopkins University; M.S., Pharmacy; B.S., Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Dae-Young Lee
  
  • MentorsRobert Wood and David Clarke
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Soft Robotics
  • Research InterestsSoft robotics, Origami engineering, Bio-inspired mechanism
  • EducationPh.D., Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea, 2017
    M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea, 2013
    B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Michael M. Lerch
  
  • MentorJoanna Aizenberg
  • Focus AreasAdaptive Material Technologies, Molecular Robotics
  • Research InterestsAdaptive materials, photoswitching, photochemistry, molecular robotics, organic synthesis, multiresponsive materials
  • EducationB.Sc. Interdisciplinary Sciences, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, 2009-2012, Visiting Researcher, University of Cambridge, UK, 2012, M.Sc. Interdisciplinary Sciences, ETH Zürich, Switzerland, 2012-2014, Visiting Researcher, California Institute of Technology, USA, 2013/2014, Ph.D. Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry and Photochemistry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 2014-2018
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Li Li
  
  • MentorGeorge Church
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Immuno-Materials, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsMachine learning, network studies, clinical informatics, and next generation sequencing
  • EducationUniversity of Cologne and ETH, 2013-2015
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Ninning Liu, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • PlatformMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDNA nanotechnology, Super-resolution imaging using DNA probes, Programmed protein assembly
  • EducationPh.D., Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California - Berkeley, 2013; B.S., Biochemisty, B.A., Chemistry University of Washington, 2007
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Xiaokang Lun
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics Molecular Robotics
  • Research InterestsDNA molecular robotics; Systems biology; Single-cell analysis; Cell signaling
  • EducationPh.D. Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 2018;
    M.S. Biomedical Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 2013;
    B.S. Biology, Wuhan University, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Shirin Mesbah Oskui, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorSamir Mitragotri
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Living Cellular Devices, 3D Organ Engineering
  • Research InterestsDesign, development, and automation of medical devices; sensor technologies for diagnostics, therapeutics, and environmental monitoring applications; 3D organ engineering; drug delivery
  • EducationPh.D. in Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside; B.A. in Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Nur Mustafaoglu, Ph.D.
  
  • Mentor Donald E. Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsDrug delivery across the blood brain barrier (BBB), biosensing, antibody based diagnostic and therapeutic applications, antibody purification
  • EducationPh.D., Bioengineering, University of Notre Dame, 2017; M.S., Nano Science and Nano Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2012; B.S. Physics Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2011; B.S. Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University, 2010
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Bhavik Nathwani, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorWilliam Shih
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics
  • Research InterestsMolecular biophysics, ultra-high resolution imaging, synthetic biology
  • EducationPh.D., Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Md “Nabi” Nurunnabi
  
  • MentorSamir Mitragotri
  • Focus AreasAdaptive Material Technologies Bioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsOral Drug Delivery, Targeting Therapeutics, Theragnosis, Cell Specific Drug Delivery
  • Education Ph.D. in Bioengineering, M.S. in Chemical & Biological Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation (South Korea); B.S. in Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative (Bangladesh)
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Ryan Orszulik, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorRob Wood
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Soft Robotics
  • Research InterestsBioinspired systems, microrobotics, smart structures, piezoelectric actuators
  • EducationB.A.Sc. York University, 2007; Ph.D. York University, 2014
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Berna Özkale Edelmann, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDavid J. Mooney
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsProgrammable nanostructures, biomaterials, cancer research
  • EducationPh.D., Material Science at the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, 2016; M.S., Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 2011; B.S., Chemical Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Mirkó Palla, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorGeorge Church
  • Focus AreaSynthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsHigh-throughput, single-molecule DNA sequencing technologies; bionano instrumentation for genomic applications
  • EducationPh.D. Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University; B.S. Mechanical Engineering with Minor in Mathematics, Clarkson University
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Luba Perry
  
  • MentorChristopher Chen
  • Focus Area3D Organ Engineering
  • Research Interests3D tissue and organ engineering, vascular biology, regenerative medicine
  • EducationPh.D., Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, 2017; M.Sc., Medical Sciences, Technion, 2010; B.Sc., Biology, Technion, 2008
• 
  Graduate Student
  Pichet (Bom) Praveschotinunt
  
  • MentorNeel Joshi
  • Focus AreaLiving Cellular Devices
  • Research InterestsBiofilm engineering, protein engineering, genetic engineering
  • EducationM.S., Harvard University, Engineering Sciences, 2015; B.S.E. Duke University, Biomedical Engineering, 2013
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Michael Räz, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorWilliam Shih
  • Focus AreasMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDNA nanotechnology, molecular biophysics, force spectroscopy, synthetic biology
  • EducationPh.D., Chemical Biology, ETH Zurich, 2018; M.Sc., Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, University of Berne, 2014; B.Sc., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Berne, 2012
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Sanlin Sky Robinson
  
  • MentorJennifer Lewis
  • Focus Area3D Organ Engineering
  • Research InterestsMechanical design, materials, manufacturing, scale-up, translational engineering, 3D bioprinting, tissue engineering
  • EducationPh.D., Organic Robotics Lab, Cornell University, 2017; B.S., Chemistry, University of the Virgin Islands, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Sinem Saka, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsNucleic acid nanotechnology, super-resolution imaging, cell biology
  • EducationB.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, 2008; M.Sc. in Molecular Biology, University of Goettingen, Germany, 2010; Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, University of Goettingen/International Max Planck Research School, Germany, 2013
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Andres Sanz Garcia, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorChristopher Chen
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, 3D Organ Engineering
  • Research Interests3D organ engineering, organs-on-chip
  • EducationPh.D. Mechanical Engineering, University La Rioja (2013); M.S. in Industrial Engineering, University La Rioja; B.S. in Electrical Engineering, University La Rioja; B.S. in Electronics, University La Rioja, Spain
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Hiroshi Sasaki, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsChromosome biology, RNA biology, single-molecule biophysics, super-resolution imaging, systems biology
  • EducationPh.D., Structural Biology, The University of Tokyo, 2011; M.S., Biophysics and Biochemistry, The University of Tokyo, 2007; B.S. Biophysics and Biochemistry, The University of Tokyo, 2005
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Bo Ri Seo
  
  • MentorDavid J. Mooney
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Soft Robotics and Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsImmuno- and regenerative engineering, Mechanotherapy, Biomaterials, Tumor microenvironment engineering
  • EducationPh.D., Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 2014; M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 2011; B.S., Food Sciences, Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, 2007
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Nisarg Shah, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDavid Mooney
  • Focus AreaImmuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsBiomaterials, Immune Engineering
  • EducationPh.D. Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014; B.S., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2009
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Jie Shen, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDNA architecture based bottom-up nanofabrication of optical and electronic devices
  • EducationPh.D., Chemistry, Peking University, 2010; B.S., Chemistry, Peking University, 2005
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  C. Wyatt Shields IV, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorSamir Mitragotri
  • Focus AreasBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics, Immuno-Materials
  • Research InterestsColloids, Drug Delivery, Bio-Inspired Materials
  • EducationPh.D., Acoustic Microfluidics & Particle Fabrication, Duke University, 2016; B.S. University of Virginia, Biomedical Engineering, 2011
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Longlong Si, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorDonald Ingber
  • Focus AreaBioinspired Therapeutics & Diagnostics
  • Research InterestsOrgan-On-Chip technology development and application; antiviral drug development and exploration of their mechanism; development of replication-controllable virus vaccine technology through genetic codon expansion
  • EducationPh.D., Chemical Biology / Synthetic Biology, Peking University, 2017
• 
  Graduate Student
  Luis R. Soenksen
  
  • MentorJames J. Collins
  • Focus AreasLiving Cellular Devices, Synthetic Biology, 3D Organ Engineering
  • Research InterestsWearables, Synthetic Biology, Medical Devices, Electronic sensors, Organs-on-chips, Microfluidics
  • EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D. Candidate Mechanical Engineering, 2020; Johns Hopkins University
    MSE Graduate - Bioengineering Innovation and Design, 2012; Monterrey Institute of Technology (ITESM)
    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, 2010
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Toma Tomov, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorWilliam Shih, Wesley Wong
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsDNA nanotechnology, single molecule biophysics, single molecule fluorescence microscopy, force spectroscopy, microfluidics
  • EducationPh.D in Chemistry and Nanoscience, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, 2016; M.Sc. (2012) and B.Sc. (2009) in Chemistry, Ben Gurion University of the Negev
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Sungwook Woo, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsStructural and dynamic DNA nanotechnology, Synthetic biology
  • EducationPh.D., Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology; M.S. Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology; B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology
• 
  Graduate Student
  Weidong Xu
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • PlatformMolecular Robotics, Synthetic Biology
  • Research InterestsSynthetic biology, super-resolution imaging
  • EducationB.S. Tsinghua University, China
• 
  Postdoctoral Fellow
  Feng Xuan, Ph.D.
  
  • MentorPeng Yin
  • Focus AreaMolecular Robotics
  • Research InterestsNucleic acid nanotechnology, biosensors and medical diagnostics
  • EducationPh.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2014; B.S. & M.S., Biomedical Engineering, Hunan University, 2010