Pritika Acharya

With a background in molecular and cell biology, particularly in biophysics, I am passionate about advancing our understanding of breast cancer development and the nature of cells in breast tissue. Working in a mechanical engineering lab allows me to leverage interdisciplinary tools to further this exploration, and I am excited about the opportunity to deepen my knowledge this semester. My ultimate goal in this program is to contribute to the collective progress in medical research.

Maia Marie Jeanneau

I am a fourth-year undergraduate student at Berkeley studying Bioengineering. My research has focused on DNA cell patterning, which involves creating precise DNA arrangements on surfaces to direct the placement and growth of cells, including cancer cells. By using photopatterning and chemical conjugation techniques, I can control cell placement at a microscale. This technique allows for the study of cell behaviors, interactions, and responses in environments that mimic tumor microenvironments. In my research, I use DNA cell patterning to observe how breast cancer cells interact with their surroundings, which is crucial for understanding cancer progression, metastasis, and treatment responses. By analyzing these interactions, I aim to uncover insights into cancer dynamics that could inform future therapies.

Oberon Dixon-Luinenburg

I am a PhD candidate in bioengineering and computational biology, working at the intersection of multimodal epigenetic measurement technologies and neural network models to predict gene expression. Eukaryotic gene regulation is driven by the DNA sequence of the genome in interaction with multiple layers of complex epigenetic state. I am building computational tools to help measure, model, and understand this regulatory grammar, ranging from long read sequencing data processing to CNN and transformer models trained with new epigenetic data. A better understanding of the driving forces of gene expression and its dysregulation can be used for applications ranging from disease screening to target identification for new therapeutic modalities.

Giana Cirolia

Giana Cirolia is a PhD in the Biophysics Department at UC Berkeley in the lab of Ashley Wolf (co- Mentored by Anil Awani). Her research focuses on clinical human microbiome data for disease prediction. Specifically, she looks at how well machine learning algorithms for disease prediction perform when asked to predict on data from new populations. Her thesis centers on modeling methods that can improve algorithms to be more inclusive, equitable and generalizable across geographies. Before coming to Berkeley Giana worked on methods for gene-editing in primary cells at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, after completing her B.A in Biochemistry at UC Berkeley. Outside of the lab she is a fan of stand up comedy, musical theatre and learning all kinds of dance (modern, salsa, bachata…anything!) In the long term, she hopes to study the link between social stresses, environmental toxins, diet and the rise in the development of autoimmune conditions globally.

Andres Alonso Dextre Chavez

Andres is a PhD student in the joint Bioengineering program at UC Berkeley – UCSF in the lab of Dr. Daniel Fletcher. His research focuses on developing new low-cost diagnostics that can be implemented at the Point-of-Care. Specifically, he is working on using CRISPR-Cas enzymes to detect a wide range of biomarkers in a multiplexed manner for infectious diseases. Before coming to Berkeley, Andres attended Purdue University where he received a BS in Biological Engineering. At Purdue he conducted research in developing paper-based molecular diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2 and Bovine respiratory disease in Dr. Mohit Verma’s lab. Outside of the lab, Andres enjoys playing soccer, cooking and reading.

Emilie M Petit

My name is Emilie Petit, and I am a third-year Bioengineering undergraduate at UC Berkeley and a Southern California native. At the Sohn Research Lab, my research focuses on the mechanical properties of cells. I have gained hands-on experience using the Node Pore Sensing microfluidic platform to analyze cell viscoelasticity. This semester, I will be working on a project that involves applying this technology to the study of endometriosis, aiming to deepen our understanding of the disease and improve diagnostic methods. I am passionate about contributing to women’s health research and am enthusiastic about the opportunity to further my academic and research goals. With the support of H2H8, I look forward to gaining research skills to apply to my future graduate studies and making a meaningful impact in the field.

Nicole Klatt

Nicole is a third-year undergraduate studying Molecular & Cellular Biology (Immunology & Molecular Therapeutics) and Data Science at UC Berkeley. She is an undergraduate researcher in the Clark Lab, working on developing new workflows for nucleic acid cytometry to purify cells based on DNA or RNA signatures prior to sequencing analysis. With graduate mentor Sakshi Shah, she is extending an existing nucleic acid cytometry technique to improve detection of ultra-rare cells and eliminate a specialized microfluidics step in the workflow. Nucleic acid cytometry can help uncover biological mechanisms underlying viral diseases like HIV, illuminate gene expression patterns from host-pathogen interactions, or be applied to other challenging diseases with “hidden” cell populations indistinguishable by surface markers. In Nicole’s free time, she plays the cello, enjoys video games with friends, and explores the Bay Area.

Jared Huzar

Jared is a PhD student in the biophysics program at UC Berkeley in the laboratories of Dr. Daniel Fletcher and Dr. Grigory Tikhomirov. His research focuses on developing nucleic acid nanotechnology-based tools to probe and manipulate cells for biophysical research and diagnostics, as well as developing nanomedicines to improve human health. This manifests as projects involving developing drug delivery vehicles, low-cost point-of-care diagnostics, and imaging probes for cell-surface studies. Prior to Berkeley, Jared received a BS in biophysics and a BS in data science from Temple University. At Temple, he performed research in computational genomics studying cancer evolution in the laboratory of Dr. Sudhir Kumar. Outside of the lab, Jared enjoys hiking, biking, and exploring the beautiful nature in the bay area!

Sophia Siopack

I am a senior studying Molecular and Cell Biology and Data Science at UC Berkeley, where I study aging and rejuvenation in Dr. Irina Conboy’s lab. I am currently working on a project tracking in-vivo rejuvenation of aged mice through pharmacological approaches, and another that focuses on rejuvenation of female fertility. I hope that our research will help with reducing chronic illnesses that come with age and increase the healthspan of humanity as a whole. Outside of the lab, I run a student-to-student peer support hotline called Lean On Me. You can also find me on the badminton court or hiking around the Bay Area.

Rachna Saha

Rachna is a senior at UC Berkeley from Sunnyvale, California. She is majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology with a concentration in Molecular Therapeutics and minoring in Data Science. Rachna’s work in Dr. John Dueber’s lab focuses on engineering the peroxisome in non-model yeast species for the production of environmentally beneficial compounds. In the past, she has also worked on treatments for haploinsufficiency-related genetic disorders at Regel Therapeutics and performed clinical data analysis at Exact Sciences.

Outside of the lab, Rachna is an active volunteer with the ASUC Student Legal Clinic and Professor David Levine’s Hygiene Heroes. She enjoys reading, crocheting, and exploring local cafes.