Graduate students
Kristen Rodrigues, PhD 2023
Thesis: An alum particle-based platform to enhance and investigate humoral immune responses to immunization
Medical Engineering and Medical Physics: Biological Engineering
B.S., Engineering Sciences: Bioengineering, Harvard University, 2018
Post graduation: Scientist I, Immunology at Generate Biomedicines
Sachin Bhagchandani, PhD 2023
Thesis: Engineering kinetics of immunotherapies and vaccines
Chemical Engineering
B.S., M.S., Polymer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, 2017
Post graduation: Postdoctoral Fellow, Akiko Iwasaki Lab, Yale University
Bingxu Liu, PhD 2023
Thesis: Inheritance, innovation, and adaptation of immune systems: Regulation of the Innate Immunity Sensor Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING)
Biology
B.S., Biomedical Sciences, Zhejiang University, China, 2016
Post graduation: Postdoctoral Associate, David Baker Lab, University of Washington
Yash Agarwal, PhD 2022
Thesis: A materials-based approach for localized delivery of cancer immunotherapy
Biological Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 2017
Post graduation: Scientist I, GentiBio
Angela Q. Zhang, PhD 2021
Thesis: Tumor-agnostic immunotherapy by delivery of CAR T cell ligands to solid tumors
Harvard MD-PhD Program/Health Sciences & Technology, Harvard Biophysics
B.S., Biology & Biological Engineering, MIT, 2015
Post graduation: Medical student, Harvard Medical School
Ben Read, PhD 2021
Thesis: Engineering nanoparticulate antigens for enhanced follicular accumulation and immunogenicity
Health Sciences and Technology
B.S., Bioengineering, University of Washington, 2015
Post graduation: Postdoctoral Fellow, Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Lauren Milling, PhD 2021
Thesis: Priming systemic anti-tumor immunity via in situ immunomodulation of the tumor microenvironment
Biological Engineering
B.S., Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2015
Post graduation: Research Scientist, Sharpe Lab, Harvard Medical School
Naveen Mehta, PhD 2019
Thesis: Engineering more potent vaccines for the treatment of cancer and autoimmunity
Biological Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin, 2013
Post graduation: Associate Director, Cullinan Oncology
Current: Director of Preclinical R&D, Cullinan Oncology
Kelly Moynihan, PhD 2017
Thesis: Enhancing T Cell Vaccines and Combination Immunotherapies for the Treatment of Cancer
Bioengineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2012
Post graduation: Associate, Third Rock Ventures
Current: Senior Director & Program Lead, Asher Biotherapeutics
Andrew Zmolek, PhD 2017
Thesis: Controlled Release Microneedle Technologies for the Enhanced Immunogenicity of Subunit Vaccines
Chemical Engineering
B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 2013
Post graduation: Boston Scientific
Current: Math & Physics Teacher, York Catholic High School
Anasuya Mandal, PhD 2017
Thesis: An Alternative Diagnostic Method Using Microneedles for Sampling the Immune System In Situ
Chemical Engineering
MSCEP, Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2014
B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay, 2011
Post graduation: Consultant, ClearView Healthcare Partners
Current: Associate Director, Strategic Pipeline Planning, Ikena Oncology
Yusang Sabrina Yang, PhD 2016
Thesis: Amphiphilic gold nanoparticle-based cytosolic drug delivery platform for cancer and infections
Materials Science and Engineering
M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2013
B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, 2010
Post graduation: Associate, Flagship Pioneering
Current: Principal, Flagship Pioneering, Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Empress Tx
Yiran Zheng, PhD 2015
Thesis: In vivo Arming of Adoptively Transferred T-cells with Drug-loaded Nanoparticles for Cancer Immunotherapy
B.S., Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2009
B.A., Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 2009
Post graduation: Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, A*STAR, Singapore
Current: Professor, Soochow University
Chyan-Ying Ke, PhD 2015
Thesis: Nanoscale Antigen Organization Regulates Specific Binding to B-Cells and B-Cell Activation
HST
BSc, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2007
Post graduation: Research Fellow, Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Singapore.
Melissa Hanson, PhD 2015
Thesis: Enhancement of HIV vaccine efficacy via lipid nanoparticle-based adjuvants
Biological Engineering
B.S., Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, 2009
Post graduation: Postdoc at Institut Pasteur
Current: Senior Principal Scientist, Lipid Nanoparticles Team Lead, Bristol Meyers Squibb
Prabhani Upeka Atukorale, PhD 2014
Thesis: Amphiphilic, soluble gold nanoparticles: mechanisms for interaction with cell membranes
Biological Engineering
MSE, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 2007
BE, Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, 2005
Post graduation: Postdoc at Case Western Reserve University
Currently: Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Bonnie Huang, PhD 2013
Thesis: Lymphocyte-mediated drug nanoparticle delivery to disseminated lymphoma tumors in vivo
Biological Engineering
B.S, Bioengineering, Berkeley, 2005
Post graduation: Postdoc at NIAID
Peter DeMuth, PhD 2013
Thesis: Engineered microneedles for transcutaneous vaccine delivery
Biological Engineering
B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland, 2008
Post graduation: Vedantra Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Currently: Vice President of Research, Elicio Therapeutics
Adrienne Li, PhD 2012
Thesis: Immunization with Synthetic Nanoparticles to Generate Mucosal CD8
Biological Engineering
MEng, Johns Hopkins University
B.S., Johns Hopkins Univ.
Post graduation: Vedantra Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Currently: Senior Manager of Business Development, Genocea
Brandon Kwong, PhD 2012
Thesis: Liposome-anchored local delivery of immunomodulatory agents for tumor therapy
Biological Engineering
B.A.Sc, Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Post graduation: Postdoc at NIH
Current: Senior Scientist, Kyverna Therapeutics
Xingfang Su, PhD 2012
Thesis: Degradable polymeric nano-films and particles as delivery platforms for vaccines and immunotherapeutics
Materials Science & Engineering
BA and MSci, Materials Science & Metallurgy
Post graduation: Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), A*STAR, Singapore
Currently: Assistant Head, BMRC HBM Cluster at A*STAR, Singapore
Maria Foley, PhD 2012
Thesis: Visualizing the dynamics of HIV-specific cytotoxic T-cells in extracellular matrix
Biological Engineering
B.S., Biology, Emory University
Post graduation: Immunology Consultant, Quintara Biosciences; Founder, FIRE, LLC.
Yana Wang, PhD 2011
Thesis: Engineering chemoattractant gradients using controlled releasing polysaccharide microspheres
Chemical Engineering/PPST
MS Chemical Engineering, U. Minnesota
BS Tsinghua University
Post graduation: Millennium Pharmaceuticals
Currently: Takeda
Anna Bershteyn, PhD 2010
Thesis: Lipid-Coated micro- and nano-particles as a biomimetic vaccine platform
Materials Science & Engineering
B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, MIT
Post graduation: Intellectual Ventures Lab
Currently: Assistant Professor of Population Health, NYU Lagone Health
Yuki Hori, PhD 2009
Thesis: Injectable hydrogels as matrices for immunization and immunotherapy of cancer
Materials Science & Engineering
B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, MIT
Post graduation: Medtronic
Currently: Experience Strategy & Design Director, AstraZeneca
Vinay Mahajan, PhD 2009
Thesis: Intrinsic heterogeneity in the survival and proliferation capacities of naive CD8+ T-cells
Biological Engineering
MBBS, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Post graduation: Pathology Residency Program, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Currently: Associate Pathologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Instructor, Ragon Institute and HMS
Andrew Miller, PhD 2008
Thesis: Amphiphilic block copolymer micelles: Creation of functional nanocavities and their use as nanocontainers for controlled release
Chemical Engineering
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Univ. Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Post graduation: Associate, PureTech Ventures
Currently: Founder and COO, Karuna Therapeutics
Yuhua Hu, PhD 2008
Thesis: pH-Sensitive core-shell nanoparticles for intracellular drug delivery
Chemical Engineering
B.S. Chemical Engineering, M.S. Biochemical Engineering, Tsinghua University
Post graduation: postdoctoral associate, Stanford University.
Current: Executive Director, WuXi Biologics, WuXi XDC
Agnieszka Stachowiak, PhD 2007
Thesis: Inverse opal hydrogel scaffolds as lymphoid microenvironments for the study of immune cell migration and immunotherapy
Materials Science & Engineering/PPST
B.S. Chemical Engineering, MIT
Post graduation: Research/Teaching staff, Biological Engineering, MIT.
Junsang Doh, PhD 2006
Thesis: Immunological synapse arrays: Patterned protein surfaces that modulate immunological synapse structure formation in T cells
Chemical Engineering/PPST
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University
Post graduation: postdoctoral associate with Matthew Krummel, UCSF.
Currently: Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea.
Siddhartha Jain, PhD 2006
Thesis: Synthesis of a hydrogel-based vaccine to mimic dendritic cell responses to pathogens
Biological Engineering Division
B.S., Chemical Engineering, India Institute of Technology
Post graduation: research associate, Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Currently: Director / Fellow, Manufacturing Sciences and Operations Innovation Strategy, Sanofi Genzyme
Heejae Kim, PhD 2005
Thesis: New Polymeric Biomaterial Interfaces for Biosensor Applications
Chemical Engineering/PPST
M.S., Materials Science & Engineering, Seoul National University
B.S., Fiber and Polymer Science, Seoul National University
Post graduation: Cheil Industries (subsidiary of Samsung)
Currently: Director NA Supply Chain, LG Energy Solution
Postdoctoral associates
Ozgun Kocabiyik, 2023
Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, 2019
Post Irvine Lab: Industry, Switzerland
Sasan Jalili Firoozinezhad, 2023
Ph.D., Bioengineering, Harvard Medical School (Boston)/University of Lisbon (Portugal), 2019
Post Irvine Lab: Assistant Professor, The Jackson Laboratory
Aereas Aung, 2023
Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 2016
Post Irvine Lab: Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto
Coralie Backlund, 2022
Ph.D., Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2018
Post Irvine Lab: Technology Manager, Department of Energy (DOE)
Kaiyuan Ni, 2022
Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Chicago, 2020
Post Irvine Lab: Takeda
Leyuan Ma, 2021
Ph.D., Biomedical sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2016
Post Irvine Lab: Assistant Professor, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Yingzhong Li, 2021
Ph.D., Biotechnology, Peking University, Beijing, China, 2010
Post Irvine Lab: Director of R&D, Sunvax mRNA Therapeutics
Jason Y.H. Chang, 2021
Ph.D., Imperial College London, U.K., 2016
Post Irvine Lab: Senior Scientist, Janux Therapeutics
Brittany L. Hartwell, 2021
Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of Kansas, 2016
Post Irvine Lab: Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota
Chensu Wang, 2021
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2017
Post Irvine Lab: Senior Scientist, Pfizer
Current: Consultant, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Murillo Silva, 2021
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, 2017
Post Irvine Lab: Scientist II in Exploratory Immunology, SQZ Biotechnology
Current: Principal Scientist, Moderna Therapeutics
Eric Dane, 2021
Ph.D., Chemistry, MIT, 2010
Post Irvine Lab: Investigator II, Seqirus
Current: Associate Principal Scientist, AstraZeneca
Sudha Kumari, 2021
Ph.D., Cell Biology, National Center for Biological Sciences (TIFR)
Post Irvine Lab: Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India
Jacob T Martin, 2020
Ph.D., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 2014
Post Irvine Lab: Senior Scientist, PureTech Health
Michael Fichter, 2019
Ph.D., Immunobiology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany, 2016
Post Irvine Lab: Postdoctoral Researcher, University Medical Center Mainz
Hannah Watkins, 2019
PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 2017
Post Irvine Lab: IRB Coordinator, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Current: Scientist II, Adimab
Tyson Moyer, 2019
Ph.D., Material Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2013
Post Irvine Lab: Scientist, Pfizer
Current: Principal Scientist, Korro Bio, Inc.
Kavya Rakhra, 2019
Ph.D., Stanford University School of Medicine, 2011
Post Irvine Lab: Fellow, Vida Ventures, LLC
Nitasha Bennett, 2019
Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2015
Post Irvine Lab: Technical Specialist, Nelson Mullins
Talar Tokatlian, 2018
Ph.D., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, 2013
Post Irvine Lab: Scientist, A2 Therapeutics
Archana Boopathy, 2017
Ph.D., Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014
Post Irvine Lab: Sr. Scientist, Vaxess Technologies, MA
Current: Senior Scientist, Gilead Sciences
Yuan Zhang, 2016
PhD. Pharmaceutical Sciences (Molecular Pharmaceutics), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island
Li Tang, 2016
PhD. Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2012
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Institute of Bioengineering, Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
Greg Szeto, 2015
PhD. Immunology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Dept of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County (Personal website)
Current: Associate Director, Seagen
Brad Jones, 2015
PhD. Immunology, University of Toronto
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University
Current: Associate Professor, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University
Haipeng Liu, 2013
PhD. Chemistry, Purdue University
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Wayne State University
Sharon Golan-Paz, 2013
PhD. Chemical Engineering, Technion
Post-Irvine lab: Postdoc at University of Washington
Current: Director of Cell Therapy, Bayer
Sharmila Pejawar-Gaddy, 2013
PhD. Microbiology & Immunology, Wake Forest Univ.
Post-Irvine lab: Consultant, Jounce Therapeutics
Christopher Jewell, 2012
PhD. Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, The Fischell Dept. of Bioengineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland
Matthias Stephan, 2012
M.D., Medical University of Luebeck, Germany
Ph.D., Cornell University
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
James Moon, 2012
PhD. Biomedical Engineering, Rice University
Post-Irvine lab: Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan
Research technicians
Ryan Hosn, 2023
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University
Parastoo Amlashi, 2023
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Vanderbilt University
Justin Gregory, 2023
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Immunology, University of Washington
Shengwei (Sam) Wu, 2022
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Tanaka Remba, 2022
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute
Rachel Yeung, 2022
Post-Irvine lab: Physician assistant student, University of Mount Saint Vincent
Wuhbet Abraham, 2022
Post-Irvine lab: Staff Scientist, Strand Therapeutics
Na Li, 2022
Post-Irvine lab: SunVax mRNA Therapeutics
Ina Sulkaj, 2021
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Immunology, Johns Hopkins University
Maurice Bukenya, 2021
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Immunology, Duke University
Josetta Adams, 2021
Post-Irvine lab: VMD-PhD student, Veterinary Medicine/Immunology, University of Pennsylvania
Shuhao Xiao, 2021
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Biotechnology and Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Ashley Lemnios, 2021
Post-Irvine lab: Research Associate II, Sensei Bio
Dan Garafola, 2020
Post-Irvine lab: Senior Research Associate, BioNTech SE
Current: Principle Associate Scientist, Immunology Discovery Research, Generation Bio
Ayush Thomas, 2019
Post-Irvine lab: M.D. student, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Current: Resident Physician, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Benjamin Cossette, 2019
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Biomedical Engineering, Duke University
Zhijun Su, 2019
Post-Irvine lab: Strand Therapeutics
Nikki Lee, 2018
Post-Irvine lab: Scientist, Merck
Current: Associate Consultant, IPM Integrated Project Management Company
Tanmay Dichwalkar, 2018
Post-Irvine lab: Dragonfly Therapeutics
Simon Liang, 2018
Post-Irvine lab: Research Scientist, Novartis NIBR
Current: Manager of R&D Operations, Tango Therapeutics
Nathan Donahue, 2018
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, University of Oklahoma
Current: Scientist, Intellia
Christopher Jones, 2018
Post-Irvine lab: Scientist, Novartis NIBR
Naren Subbiah, 2017
Current: Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Andrew Mutafyan, 2016
Current: Sales Representative, Alphatec Spine
Alexis Baldeon, 2016
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Llian Marbadi, 2016
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, University of Tokyo
Michael Zhang, 2016
Post-Irvine lab: Ph.D. student, University of Maryland
Current: Scientist, BMS
Yuting Li, 2016
Current: Scientist, Merck