EBRC Postdoc Fellowships

EBRC Postdoctoral Fellowships are one year positions that leverage previous training to work with EBRC programs and to conduct an individual research project. Postdocs are an integral part of the EBRC Team and have the opportunity to learn and make significant contributions during their appointment. In addition to the independent and focus area projects, postdocs participate in EBRC core activities (annual meetings and retreats); contribute to EBRC cross-cutting efforts regarding bioeconomy advancement, responsible innovation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion; have opportunities for relevant training in science policy; and meet government officials and policymakers through EBRC events and, when possible, periodic trips to Washington, DC.

 

Julietta Sheng (2024-2025)

Julietta recently completed her Science Policy Postdoctoral Fellowship with the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC), where she supported the Education & Engagement and Roadmapping Focus Areas. She helped to organize and initiate the EBRC-sponsored special issue in JSPG on “Advancing Science & Technology Policy for the Next-Generation Bioeconomy.” She also contributed to the development of the Community BioFutures initiative, which aims to establish a national infrastructure to support local bioeconomy networks for engineering biology education and outreach.

Julietta is currently a Program Manager for the Education & Engagement Focus Area at EBRC, where she supports education and community-building efforts, including the continued development of the Community BioFutures project.

Julietta received her PhD in Biomedical Sciences/Neuroscience with Drs. Stuart Tobet and Robert J. Handa at Colorado State University. Outside of work, she likes to try new food recipes, read psychological thrillers, and go on long walks with her puppos.

Currently: Program Manager for the Education & Engagement, EBRC

 

 

Sebastian Rivera (2024-2025)

Prior to joining EBRC, Sebastian received his PhD in Chemical Biology and a certificate in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the University of Michigan, where he was also a Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Fellow. During his postdoc with EBRC, Sebastian helped lead projects on nucleic acid synthesis screening and co-authored EBRC’s Strengthening a Safe and Secure Nucleic Acid Synthesis Ecosystem report. His independent project, Risk Mitigation for Biological Design Tools, provides commentary and recommendations on risk mitigation strategies that balance the dual-use nature of AI enabled biological design tools. He is currently a Program Manager for EBRC, with a focus on security and AIxBio related projects.

Currently: Program Manager AIxBio and Security, EBRC

Independent Project

 

 

Cynthia Ni (2022-2023)

Cynthia Ni joined EBRC as a Postdoctoral Scholar in September 2022, working with the Policy & International Engagement Working Group and leading the organization of the EBRC Global Forum 2.0. She played a key role in EBRC’s Engineering Biology Global Metrics and Technical Standards for the Bioeconomy, conducted policy work in response to the 2022 Bioeconomy Executive Order, and contributed to several other EBRC initiatives. Cynthia earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 2022, focusing on genetically engineered E. coli to utilize mixed feed streams for biosynthesis – a project motivated by the desire to convert food waste into useful products. She was also involved in departmental DEI initiatives, peer counseling, and improving the graduate student experience across the institute. Cynthia is currently the Director of Innovation Programs at BEAM Circular.

Currently: Director of Innovation Programs, BEAM Circular

Independent Project

 

 

Wilson Sinclair (2022-2023)

Wilson Sinclair was a Postdoctoral Scholar at EBRC from 2022-2023, working in the Security focus area on bioeconomic investment and biosecurity policy. He graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University where he used chemical biology methods to study host-pathogen interactions in tuberculosis infection for therapeutic discovery. His independent project focused on academic and federal policies to enable transdisciplinary research and responsible innovation. He is now the Assistant Director for Emerging Biotechnology Policy at the National Institutes of Health in the Office of Science Policy where he leads horizon scanning activities and the development and implementation of biosecurity and bioeconomic policies.

Currently: Assistant Director (Acting) for Emerging Biotechnology, NIH Office of Science Policy

Independent Project

 

 

Sifang Chen (2021-2022)

Sifang Chen was a Postdoctoral Scholar at EBRC from 2021-2022, working closely with the Research Roadmapping Working Group and leading the development of EBRC’s Engineering Biology for Climate & Sustainability: A Research Roadmap for a Cleaner Future. Prior to joining EBRC, she worked on DNA computing and DNA data storage as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington. She also interned and worked as a visiting researcher at Microsoft Research, where she developed chemical-based wearables and low-cost pollution sensors. Sifang received her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Washington in 2019, researching DNA-based programmable materials.

Currently: Senior Managing Science and Innovation Advisor, Carbon180

 

 

Albert Hinman (2021-2022)

Dr. Albert Hinman was a postdoctoral fellow with EBRC from February 2021 to May 2022. He led the projects that culminated in An Assessment of Short-Term Milestones in EBRC’s 2019 Roadmap, Engineering Biology and Actions to Enable an Equitable and Innovative U.S. Bioeconomy. He also served as a Research Associate for the Schmidt Sciences report The U.S. Bioeconomy: Charting a Course for a Resilient and Competitive Future. Following his time at EBRC, he completed the Genetics and Public Policy Fellowship program sponsored by the National Human Genome Research Institute and the American Society of Human Genetics. He was subsequently hired by the U.S. House of Representatives to work on federal science policy issues.

Currently: Professional Staff Member, US House of Representatives

Independent Project

 

 

Becky Mackelprang (2018-2019)

Becky Mackelprang is the Director for Security Programs at the Engineering Biology Research Consortium. She leads EBRC’s Security Focus Area, bringing stakeholders across academia, industry, and government together to integrate security awareness into the policy and practice of engineering biology. Becky leads the development of commentary and recommendations on issues such as screening by synthetic DNA providers and the security implications at the intersection of artificial intelligence and engineering biology. She has implemented strategies to incorporate security into researcher education and training. Becky is committed to supporting an engineering biology research and development ecosystem that maximizes societal benefit while using a multi-faceted approach to support safe, secure, and productive innovation. Previously, Becky was an EBRC Science Policy Postdoctoral Scholar, an AAAS Mass Media Fellow, a science communication postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley, and received her Ph.D. in Plant Biology from UC Berkeley.

Currently: Director of Security, EBRC

Independent Project

 

 

Eric Lee (2018-2019)

Eric Lee, PhD (he/him), is a Senior Biological Scientist in the U.S. Government Accountability Office. He was a postdoctoral fellow at EBRC from 2019-2020. As a fellow, he led and designed the microbiome engineering roadmap and contributed to the materials science roadmap. Prior to EBRC, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Columbia University and his Ph.D. in Infectious Diseases & Immunity at the University of California, Berkeley. After leaving EBRC, he was a AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and now supports science and technology issues for the U.S. Congress on topics such as regenerative medicine, antiviral drug development, and biosecurity, as part of the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics Team at GAO.

Currently: Senior Biological Scientist, Government Accountability Office

Independent Project

 

 

Risk Mitigation for Biological Design Tools

Publication Date: September 2025

The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) with the life sciences is rapidly reshaping what is possible across myriad sectors, including engineering biology. These possibilities include beneficial applications, like vaccine development, and also potentially harmful applications, like pandemic pathogen design. This white paper provides commentary and recommendations on risk mitigation strategies that balance the dual-use nature of AI enabled biological design tools.

Jon Arizti Sans

Jon Arizti Sanz is a Schmidt Science Fellow in the Hill-Maini Lab at Stanford University. His research work at Stanford involves engineering fungi to transform agricultural and food waste into high-value products, such as protein-rich foods, fertilizers and sustainable materials. Jon got his PhD in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics from MIT and Harvard Medical School, where he developed genomic technologies for rapid and decentralized pathogen detection under Prof. Pardis Sabeti’s supervision. He’s interested in biosecurity, emerging technology regulation and the nexus of synthetic biology and security. Jon is originally from Spain.

Leah Davis

Leah is a postdoctoral research fellow in bioengineering and marine biotechnology at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Her current work centers on the development of rapid, in-situ whole-cell microbial biosensors for monitoring water quality and detecting disease. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Rowan University, where she focused on engineering mammalian whole-cell biosensors for broad applications in both biomedical research and environmental monitoring. Leah holds a bachelor’s degree in Energy Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University, where she completed four internships and worked full-time for a year following graduation. If she’s not in the lab you can find her with her pug, Chicken Nugget.

Yunqing Wang

Yunqing Wang is a bioengineering PhD candidate in the Demirer Lab at Caltech. Her research focuses on developing plant genome engineering tools and engineering plant-microbe communication channels. As Mentorship Chair, she is committed to fostering meaningful and engaged connections between young professionals and experts. In her free time, Yunqing enjoys staying active and outdoor activities.

Abhishek Kumar Sen

Abhishek Kumar Sen earned his Ph.D. in Cellular, Molecular, and Structural Biology from Miami University in 2025. He brings over 8 years of combined research experience across academia and industry, having held positions at Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and the Indiana University School of Medicine prior to his doctoral studies. Currently, he serves as an Industry Liaison on the EBRC SPA Board, where he leverages his expertise to strengthen collaborations between academic research and industrial innovation. Throughout his career, Abhishek has mentored undergraduate and graduate students as well as research staff, and he remains committed to bridging the gap in his current role.

Ruixue Zhang

Ruixue is a Ph.D. candidate in Prof. Fuzhong Zhang’s Lab at Washington University in St. Louis. Ruixue specializes in bacterial stress response mechanisms, utilizing advanced gene engineering techniques, microscopy, and fluorescence assays to analyze cell behavior and investigate mutations during the bioproduction scale-up process. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and cooking.

Talia Jacobson

Talia is a Ph.D. student advised by Catalin Voiniciuc at the University of Florida, where her research focuses on utilizing synthetic yeast systems to understand and engineer plant cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis. She earned her B.S. in genetics from Purdue University and as an EBRC SPA member, Talia serves as the Podcast Chair.

Alberto Donayre

Dr. Alberto J. Donayre-Torres is a Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC) in Lima, Peru. He holds a Ph.D. in Plant Genetics and Biotechnology from CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico (2009), and completed postdoctoral training at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Colorado State University (USA), where he spent five years advancing synthetic biology platforms for programmable biological systems. His research sits at the convergence of synthetic biology, advancing biomaterials using bioconjugation engineering (ACS Omega, 2025). He leads projects developing open-source tools for DNA assembly (pyBrick-DNA, J. Comp. Biol., 2023) and develops international collaboration on predictive biomaterial modeling AI-assisted. Dr. Donayre has supervised undergraduate and graduate research in recombinant protein synthesis, hydrogel functionalization, and bioconjugation — and actively contributes to the global synthetic biology community as co-organizer of international congresses and developer of open bioengineering platforms.