PRINCIPAL INVERTIGATOR

Samagya Banskota, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the Biological Design Center at Boston University. Her lab’s research lies at the intersection of chemical biology, drug delivery, genomics, and molecular bioengineering to unravel biological barriers to therapeutic delivery and develop improved delivery systems for gene-editing therapies. Her research has received several recognitions including MIT Technology Review's Innovators Under 35, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) Novel Therapeutics Delivery Award, and the PhRMA Foundation Faculty Starter Grant. Outside of the lab she enjoys running, traveling and trying new restaurants. Her favorite food is momo (Nepali dumplings).

POST-DOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Anjali Singh is from Haryana, India. She received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi where she worked with Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharyya developing bioinspired formulations for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Before that Anjali did M.Tech from Kurukshetra University in the Biotechnology. Outside the lab, Anjali enjoys running and cooking. Her favourite food is Roti-Sabzi.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Christopher Lu is from Long Island, New York. He received his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester where he worked with Dr. James McGrath to develop a microfluidic sensor platform and Dr. Whasil Lee to computationally analyze osteoarthritic knee joint damage. Christopher has previously interned at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals multiple times working on stem cell engineering and viral vector delivery platforms. Outside of lab, Christopher enjoys running, using photography to create everlasting memories, and exploring by traveling to new cities and hiking to new peaks. His favorite food is dim sum, a delightful collection of dishes.

MS STUDENT

Felipe Muñoz is from Dallas, Texas. He received his B.A. in classics from Harvard College. Felipe is interested in exploring the potential of novel computational tools like protein language models for protein engineering. In his free time, Felipe likes to read, watch movies, listen to music, and play guitar. Mexican food is his favorite.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Maria Steis is a junior at Boston University pursuing her B.S. in BME with a concentration in Machine Learning. Maria's research interests lie at the intersection of protein engineering, immunotherapy development, and computational biology. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing ballet, traveling, skiing, and running.

Cristiana DeAgazio is from Winchester, Massachusetts. She received her B.S in Chemistry from Wellesley College. During undergrad, she worked under Dr. Sangeeta Bhatia on nanoformulations for the treatment of influenza. Additionally, Cristiana has interned at various biopharmaceutical companies on process development and formulation teams. Outside of lab, Cristiana enjoys cheering on the Celtics and attending spin/pilates classes. Her favorite food is ice cream.

Kaden Do is from Worcester, Massachusetts. He is pursuing a B.S. in BME with a minor in Computer Engineering at Boston University.  Previously, he conducted research at the Young Lab at WPI and outside the lab, he enjoys playing tennis and eating new foods!

Yuanhang is from Tianjin, China. He received his bachelor with a major in bioengineering from East China University of Science and Technology, where he worked in Zhang Lab for developing new methods for large gene cluster cloning and bioseparation methods for novel antifungal chemicals. He then came to the US and finished his MS in Bioengineering at UPenn, where he worked under Dr. X. Sherry Liu for decoding the mechanism of paracellular area remodeling in osteocytes. Now Yuanhang is interested in developing novel methods for gene editor delivery and optimization. Outside the lab, Yuanhang enjoys making authentic Chinese tea (Kung Fu Tea), watching soccer games, and exploring different restaurants.

Julianna is from Poolesville, Maryland. She received her B.S. in biomedical engineering from the University of Virginia, where she worked with Dr. Naegle to study the function and regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation in complex networks. Additionally, as an intern at AMPEL BioSolutions, Julianna studied the role of cell death dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of lupus. Outside of lab, Julianna loves spending time outdoors, playing pickleball, and doing karaoke and trivia with friends. Her favorite type of food is dim sum!