marie migaud

I am a French-trained Chemist/Chemical Engineer with a PhD in organic synthesis from Michigan State University, postdoctoral training at the University of Bath and Oxford. My first independent academic position was at Queen’s University Belfast (Chemistry) in 2000. I was appointed first in faculty of science and engineering, then requested a joint appointment with the Center for Cell Biology and Cancer Research, and ultimately moved to the School of Pharmacy to fully exploit the collaborative network that my moving within the institution had allowed me to create. In 2016, I left my permanent UK academic position to join the Mitchell Cancer Institute at the University of South Alabama, after a sabbatical year in the department of Biochemistry at the Carver College of Medicine in Iowa. I seek to accelerate translational research programs through basic research in chemical biology and synthetic chemistry.
More specifically, I pursue chemical research on canonical and non-canonical nucleotides and dinucleotides in the context of cell bioenergetics and signaling. I direct biology-focused research projects supported by bespoke organic synthesis and knowledge-based metabolomics and RNA/DNAomics research. My laboratory’s activities focus on synthesizing nucleosidic isotopologues, nucleotide-derived cofactors, and catabolites and develop analytical platforms that help unravel their role in diseases linked to genomic and metabolic mitochondrial dysfunction. Key to our research efforts are novel synthetic methodologies of isotopically labeled and modified nucleos/tides using mechanochemistry to allow atom-efficient syntheses.

Yogen Borkar

I am a Chemical engineer, undertaking a masters in Nanobiotechology. My past research has been in developing biosensors and sustainable cell factories. Im interested in researching in rational protein engineering, particularly the intersection of synthetic biology, chemical engineering and supramolecular chemistry.

Carolyn Chapman

Carolyn Riley Chapman, PhD MS, joined the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard (MRCT Center) in October 2023 (mrctcenter.org). She is a Member of the Faculty of the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Lead Investigator in the Division of Global Health Equity (DGHE), Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her work involves collaboration with diverse stakeholders to identify and address challenges in the research and development of genetic technologies and precision medicine, including cell and gene therapies. Since April 2023, Dr. Chapman serves as Co-Chair of the ELSI-Dedicated Genome Engineering Workgroup at the Center for Synthetic Regulatory Genomics (SyRGe), led by Dr. Jef Boeke, the Sol and Judith Bergstein Director of the Institute of Systems Genetics and Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Prior to joining the MRCT Center, Carolyn worked at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in various roles. Immediately before joining the MRCT Center, she was Faculty in the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine with a primary appointment as Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Health (Division of Medical Ethics). In the past, Carolyn has worked as an Associate/Lecturer and as Interim Associate Director for the Columbia Bioethics program; as a business strategy management consultant in the biopharmaceuticals industry at L.E.K. Consulting; at a start-up biopharmaceutical company, Aton Pharma; and as a freelance science/medical writer. Carolyn graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College with a BA in Biology. She has a PhD in Genetics from Harvard University and an MS in Bioethics from Columbia University. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in medical ethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a Graduate Certificate in Survey Research at UConn’s School of Public Policy.

Kirti Kirti

I have a pleasant personality with a genuine interest in pursuing scientific research. I consist perseverance in overcoming challenges and readily engaged in collaborative efforts. Along with good critical thinking abilities, inquisitiveness, and strong interpersonal skills.

Javin Oza

Engineering of cell-free systems, proteins & enzymes, and adopting bioengineering to the university classroom

Vaccines & Immunotherapies Online Symposium

The program features case studies in vaccine development for cancer and infectious diseases, offering insights into best practices and technological advancements. Engage in focused discussions and networking with thought leaders to understand immunotherapy innovations for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The event concludes with the release of the ‘Harnessing Vaccine Technologies & Immunotherapies with Best Practice Approaches’ report, summarizing key insights and emerging trends.

Oligo Chemistry and Therapeutics Online Symposium

Join global innovators at our symposium focused on oligo chemistry and therapeutics to explore advances in overcoming therapeutic challenges, optimising targeted delivery, and utilising analytical methods like liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Engage with experts on peptide-oligo conjugation, modification chemistry, and advanced synthesis technologies. Discuss clinical applications across disease areas and anticipate future uses. The event concludes with the ‘Harnessing Oligo Chemistry & Therapeutics Development with Best Practice Approaches’ report, summarising key insights and trends for effective utilisation.

Antibody Engineering with Novel Technologies Online Symposium

Join global innovators at our symposium on antibody engineering to explore cutting-edge topics such as best practice approaches, advanced therapeutics, and stability strategies. Engage with experts on AI applications and computational tools in antibody engineering. Discuss case studies on achieving stability through advanced methods. The event concludes with the ‘Harnessing Antibody Engineering with Best Practice Approaches’ report summarising key insights and trends for effective utilisation.

Darian Harrison

Machine Learning Scientist currently interested in Synthetic and Systems Biology.

Gaurav Bingi

I am a graduate student with PMRF Fellowship at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India. My current research project focuses on the production of therapeutic proteins using cyanobacteria and also co-culture systems to enhance the production. My goal is to leverage my dedication, research skills, and hard work to make significant contributions to the field of therapeutics, ultimately contributing to the improvement of the healthcare system. Apart from love for science & research, I like dancing and listening to music.

Nandini Kannoju

Nandini Kannoju is currently a PhD candidate in chemical engineering at Arizona State University working on the metabolic engineering of bacteria, predominantly Cyanobacteria, for the production of biochemicals. She received her master’s degree from IIT-Kharagpur, India and her bachelor’s degree from Osmania University, India. Her research interests are metabolic & genetic engineering of microbes, microbial bioprocess, water and wastewater treatment and biofuel. In her free time, she likes to do handicrafts, play volleyball, and spend time cooking.

D’Jana Wyllis

D’Jana is a third year PhD candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of Delaware who works in the lab of Dr. Aditya Kunjapur and is most interested in biocatalysis, protein engineering and metabolic engineering.

Matthew Smardz

Matt is a member of the Gibney Lab at Cornell University and is originally from Buffalo, NY. He is interested in designing and expressing novel protein-based sweeteners and flavorants in yeast. His work seeks to leverage synthetic biology to improve our global food systems.

Sara Stadulis

Rabia Yazicigil

Rabia Yazicigil is an Assistant Professor of ECE Department at Boston University. She was a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT and received her Ph.D. degree from Columbia University in 2016. Her research focuses on the development of Cyber-Secure Biological Systems, leveraging living sensors constructed from engineered biological entities seamlessly integrated with custom-designed semiconductor chips. This unique synergy harnesses the advantages of biology while incorporating the reliability and communication infrastructure of electronics, offering a unique solution to societal challenges in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and sustainable biomanufacturing. She has received numerous awards, including the NSF CAREER Award (2024), Early Career Excellence in Research Award for the Boston University College of Engineering (2024), the Catalyst Foundation Award (2021), Boston University ENG Dean Catalyst Award (2021), and “Electrical Engineering Collaborative Research Award” for her Ph.D. research (2016). She was selected as a member of the 2024 National Academy of Engineering (NAE) US Frontiers of Engineering (USFOE) cohort.

Reza Zadegan

R. Clay Wright

Clay Wright is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. His lab focuses on understanding and engineering chemical signaling pathways from plants and fungi. Clay received his BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from North Carolina State University and PhD in the same from Johns Hopkins University, where he worked with Professor Marc Ostermeier to engineer cancer therapeutic enzymes that are selectively active in the presence of a cancer marker. For his postdoctoral research, he worked with Professors Jennifer Nemhauser and Eric Klavins at University of Washington to study evolution and function of receptors for auxin, a critical plant growth hormone. Clay was recently awarded an NIH MIRA to further our understanding and engineering of chemically activated ubiquitin ligases, such as those that coordinate auxin signaling and other plant hormone signaling pathways.

Eric Young

Eric Young received undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biological Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. He completed postdoctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology developing the MIT-Broad Foundry. Dr. Young is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, with affiliate appointments in Biomedical Engineering and Bioinformatics and Computational Biology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His research objective is to understand and engineer microbes that improve the human condition. This research program informs his educational goal – to train the current and future workforce for an economy shaped by engineered biology.

Fan Hong

Fan is interested in developing biomolecular tools to dive into the complexity of biology (decoding and regulating cellular functions on the molecular basis at the tissue scale). Before joining the faculty at the University of Florida, Fan was a Postdoc Fellow at Wyss Institute at Harvard University where he worked on the DNA advanced in situ spatial multi-omics (e.g., DNA thermal-plex) in the Yin Lab. Thermal-plex enables multiplexed fluorescent imaging of biomolecules with unprecedented feasibility and speed for tissue biospecimen analysis. Fan completed his Ph.D. at Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University and worked in the Yan Lab, Green Lab, and Sulc Lab, where he developed methods to program nucleic acids in vitro (e.g., Framework DNA nanoarchitecture), in vivo (e.g., SNIPR), and in silico (e.g., crowder-oxDNA) to address grand questions with chemical approaches to biology. Those methods enable the control of nucleic acid folding into complex framework biomolecular architectures from the nanoscale to the macroscale, the regulation of cellular gene expression based on the single nucleotide mutation in cells with de-novo-designed RNA riboregulators, and the investigation of the biophysical behavior of nucleic acid folding in the crowding cellular environment with molecular dynamics.

Priyanka Nain

I am Priyanka Nain, currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of Delaware. Here, my research revolves around finding innovative solutions that integrate synthetic biology, sustainability, and healthcare. My Ph.D. is from the Chemical Engineering Department at IIT Delhi, where I was developing strategies to improve the production of biotherapeutic proteins. I am deeply passionate about sustainable biomanufacturing. I thrive on the scientific challenges involved in scaling up bioprocesses, from optimizing cell lines and media to fine-tuning fermentation feeding and control strategies, and analytical methods. But I also care deeply about the broader impact – delivering products that are both effective and accessible and manufactured in the interest of the environment.

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