Lab alumni

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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