Meet the team

John W. Strohbehn Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Charles Gersbach, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow, The Scripps Research Institute, 2009
Ph.D. Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006
B.S. Georgia Institute of Technology, 2001

  • Shante Berry, PhD

    LAB ANALYST II

    Ph.D. Genetics, North Carolina State University, 2019

    B.S. Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, 2011

  • Josh Black, PhD

    RESEARCH SCIENTIST

    Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 2019

    B.S. Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, 2013

  • Nahid Iglesias, PhD

    RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER

    Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA 2010 - 2017

    Postdoctoral Fellow, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland, 2008 - 2010

    Ph.D. Biology, University of Geneva, Switzerland, 2008

    M.S. Biology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland ,2002

    B.S. Biology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland, 2001

  • Alejandro Barrera, MS

    SENIOR BIOINFORMATICIAN

    M.S. Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 2012

    B.S. Computer Science Engineering, Complutense University of Madrid, 2009

  • Kevin Hagy, MS

    ASSOCIATE IN RESEARCH

    M.S. Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California - Santa Cruz, 2020

    B.S. Neuroscience and Behavior, University of California, 2012

  • Kamie Snow

    LAB MANAGER

    A.A.S. Biotechnology, Alamance Community College

    A.A.S. Mechanical Drafting and Design, Alamance Community College

  • Heather Daniels

    LAB ANALYST I

    B.S. Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, 2011

  • Joel Bohning, MS

    RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

    M.S. Applied Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2011

    B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 2010

  • Ruhi Rai, MS

    BIOINFORMATICIAN

    M.S. Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology, University of Minnesota, 2013

    B.S. Biotechnology, St. Cloud State, University, 2005

  • Andrea Daniel, PhD

    SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST

    Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Minnesota, 2008-2009

    Ph.D. Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, 2008

    B.A. Biology, University of St. Thomas, 2001

  • Boxun Li, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    Ph.D. Genetics, Development, and Disease, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 2021

    B.S. Biological Sciences, Peking University, China, 2015

  • Sean McCucheon, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 2023

    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, UC Davis, 2017

  • Kevin Lin, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2023

    B.S. Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, 2016

  • Sara Geraghty, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    Ph.D. Quantitative and Computational Biology, Princeton University, 2024

    B.S. Biology and Computer Science, University of Richmond, 2019

  • Sam Reisman

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Plant Biology, University of California - Davis, 2015

  • Maria ter Weele

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S.E. Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, 2020

  • Elizabeth Guilfoyle

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2022

  • Carson Key

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Material Science Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2020

  • Christian McRoberts Amador

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Bioprocessing Science, North Carolina State University, 2020

  • Alyssa Pederson

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biological Sciences, Integrated Physiology and Neurobiology, North Carolina State University, 2023

  • Grayson Rice

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, 2019

  • Helen Streff

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biology, University of Notre Dame, 2020

  • Tomer Rotstein

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Bioengineering, UC Berkeley, 2016

  • Mia Hamilton

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.A. Biology, Colby College, 2019

  • Rachel Conover, MS

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    M.S. and B.S. Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 2022

  • Sophie Dornbaum

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 2020

  • Mackenzie Parmenter

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S Biology, Tufts University, 2020

  • Anish Karpurapu

    GRADUATE AND MEDICAL STUDENT

    B.S.E. Biomedical Engineering and B.S. Computer Science, Duke University, 2022

  • Danai Psaradelli, MBA

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    M.B.A. Entrepreneurship & Digital Transformation, University of Nicosia, 2024

    B.S. Biology, Davidson College, 2022

  • Chanell Mangum

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Bioengineering, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, 2022

  • Emilie Jacobus

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2025

  • Saverio Parlongo, MS

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    M.S. Biomedical Engineering, Politecnico di Torino,  2025

    B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 2022

  • Lara Pacheco

    GRADUATE STUDENT

    B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, 2023

  • Julia Riley

    MASTER’S STUDENT

    B.S. Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2024

  • Nicholas Sangvai

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Chloe McGeehan

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Haasini Nandyala

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Nicholas Hoffmann

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Xander Nelson

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Noah Breithaupt

    UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

  • Aretha Gao

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Caroline Yoon

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Aria Kundu

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Cody Zheng

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

  • Aaron Coley

    UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER

Alumni

  • GRADUATE STUDENTS

    PhD Students

    Shaunak Adkar, PhD

    MD/PhD Student Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, January 2016-June 2018

    Current Position: Vascular Surgery Resident, Stanford University

    Taylor Anglen, PhD

    Ph.D. Student Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Duke University, August 2019 – June 2025

    Current Position: Scientist, Cell Line Development Engineering, AstraZeneca

    Josh Black, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2013-June 2019

    Current Position: Research Scientist, Duke University

    Lexi Bounds, PhD

    Ph.D. Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2018-December 2023

    Current Position: Scientist, Functional Genomics, Arc Research Institute

    Tyler Gibson, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2009-August 2015

    Current Position: Senior Director, Decibel Therapeutics

    Veronica Gough, PhD

     PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2016-June 2022

    Current Position: Senior Scientist, Tune Therapeutics

    Liad Holtzman, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2014-May 2021

    Current Position: Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

    Ami Kabadi, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2009-July 2015

    Current Position: Senior Director, Discovery Research and Technology Development, Sarepta Therapeutics

    Tyler Klann, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2014-November 2019

    Current Position: Principal Scientist, Tune Therapeutics

    Dewran Kocak, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2015-November 2019

    Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

    Jennifer Kwon, PhD

    PhD Student University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, March 2015-March 2020

    Current Position: Principal Scientist, Tune Therapeutics

    Susan Liu, PhD

    PhD Student in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Duke University, September 2019-September 2024

    Current Position: Investor, 8VC

    David Ousterout, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2009-July 2014

    Current Position: Chief Scientific Officer, Locus Biosciences

    Jacqueline Robinson-Hamm, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2013-July 2018

    Current Position: Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

    Dahlia Rohm, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2019-January 2025

    Current Position: Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Toronto

    Madeleine Sitton, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2019-August 2024

    Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California San Fransisco

    Pratiksha Thakore, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, January 2011-August 2016

    Current Position: Principal Scientist, Genentech

    Lauren (Polstein) Toth, PhD

    PhD Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2010-July 2015

    Current Position: Technical Program Director, Peraton

    Masters Students

    Lauren Barth,MS

    MS Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2011-May 2012

    Current Position: Senior Quality Engineering Manager, Medtronic, Inc.

    Alex Garafalo, MS

    MS Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, August 2015-May 2016

    Current Position: Research Project Manager, University of Pennsylvania

    Brittany (Stokes) Bridgen, MS

    MS Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, January 2013-May 2014

    Current Position: Director of R&D and Pipeline Communications, Sanofi

    Brian Vogler, PhD

    MS Student Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, January 2010-May 2011

    Current Position: Scientist II, Generate Biomedicines, Inc.

  • POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

    Joe Bellucci, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow March 2016-November 2016

    Current Position: Vice President, Discovery Research RareBase, Inc.

    Josie Bodle, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow June 2018-April 2024

    Current Position: Research Director, Departments of Pharmacology and Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina

    Jonathan Brunger, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow October 2015-February 2016

    Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University

    Karen Bulaklak, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow July 2017-May 2020

    Current Position: Principal Scientist, AskBio, Inc.

    Gabe Butterfield, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow February 2019- Aug 2025

    Current Position: Senior Scientist, Quantum-Si

    Brian Cosgrove, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow August 2017-August 2021

    Current Position: Principal Scientist, Tune Therapeutics

    Alexandra Garcia-Moreno, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow January 2020-January 2025

    Current Position: Manager, Scientific Affairs, PRIME Education

    Matt Gemberling, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow January 2015-March 2020

    Current Position: Associate Director, Tune Therapeutics

    Isaac Hilton, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow November 2013-December 2017

    Current Position: Associate Professor Department of Bioengineering, Rice University

    Tyler McCullough, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow July 2019-November 2021

    Current Position: Associate Director, Life Edit Therapeutics, Inc.

    Chris Nelson, PhD

    Postdoctoral FellowJune 2014 - May 2019

    Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas

    Pablo Perez-Pinera, MD, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow July 2010-June 2013

    Current Position: Associate Professor (tenured) Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

    Adrian Pickar-Oliver, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow October 2015-May 2021

    Current Position: Associate Director, Life Edit Therapeutics, Inc. 

    Ryan Rickels, PhD

    Postdoctoral Fellow August 2019-January 2022

    Current Position: Senior Scientist, Life Edit Therapeutics, Inc.

    Visiting Scholars

    Irene Kaplow, PhD

    Visiting Scholar July 2023-July 2024

    Current Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Ray and Stephanie Lane Computational Biology Department, Cargnegie Mellow University

  • UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

    Vidit Bhandarkar, Duke University, May 2017-May 2019

    Matthew Brown, Duke University, Howard Hughes & Pratt Research Fellow, June 2010 – May 2013

    Lauren Cosby, University of Dayton, REU Fellow, June 2010 – August 2010

    Yesh Doctor, Duke University, September 2018-May 2022

    Claire Engstrom, Duke University, May 2018-May 2021

    Adarsh Ettyreddy, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, January 2016-May 2018

    Dahlia Halabi, Duke University, Amgen Scholar & Pratt Fellow, May 2022-May 2024

    Max Huber, Duke University, May 2024

    Lucas Humayun, Duke University, January 2020-May 2023

    Hunter Hutchinson, Duke University, IGSP Fellow, May 2014-May 2017

    Ruopu Jiao, Duke University, January 2020-June 2021

    Ariel Kantor, Duke University, September 2015-May 2019

    Cameron Kim, Duke University, Howard Hughes & Pratt Fellow, June 2011 – May 2014

    Justin Ko, Duke University, May 2010 – May 2011

    Suyash Kumar, Duke University, August 2013-May 2014

    Mae Lewis, Duke University, January 2016-May 2018

    Darrin Lim, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, January 2014 – December 2014

    Feimei Liu, Duke University, Howard Hughes Fellow, May 2014-December 2016

    Sarina Madhavan, Duke University, January 2015-May 2018

    Joshua McMenemy, Duke University, IGSP Fellow, Pratt Fellow, May 2013-June 2015

    Samantha Miller, Duke University, May 2024-December 2025

    Kevin Mutchnick, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, January 2017-May 2018

    Brad Peet, Duke University, May 2010 – May 2011

    Luke Qin, Duke University, January 2019-May 2020

    Ankit Rajgariah, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, Jan 2011-May 2012

    Aishwarya Ramamurthi, Duke University, January 2015-May 2017

    Jay Rathinavelu, Duke University, September 2015-April 2017

    Michelle Rousseau, UMass Amherst, REU Fellow, June 2013-August 2013

    Sarek Shen, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, Jan 2012-May 2013

    Nishkala Shivakumar, Duke University, Howard Hughes Fellow & Pratt Fellow, June 2013-May 2016

    Alan Su, Duke University, January 2019-September 2021

    Ashish Vankara, Duke University, May 2016-May 2019

    Matthew Waller, Duke University, October 2017-May 2018

    Kat Xing, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, November 2020-December 2024

    David Yudovich, Duke University, Pratt Fellow, May 2010 – May 2012

  • RESEARCH STAFF

    Malathi Chellappan

    Research Associate August 2014-November 2016

    Current Position: Associate Scientist, Tune Therapeutics

    Adarsh Ettyreddy, MD

    Research Associate

    June 2018-April 2020

    Current Position: Internist, Medical University of South Carolina

    Kylie Gilcrest

    Research Associate

    February 2019-March 2020

    Current Position: Scientist II, BioAgilytix

    DJ Marone

    Associate in Research

    Samantha Miller

    Associate in Research

    January 2025-May2025

    Current Position: PhD Student, University of Southern California

    Adim Moreb, PhD

    Research Associate  August 2014-August 2015

    Current Position: Co-Founder, DINYA DNA

    Matt Oliver

    Research Associate November 2015-August 2017

    Current Position: PhD Student, Duke University, Cellular and Molecular Biology

    Adrianne Pittman

    Research Associate October 2015-November 2021

    Current Position: Lab Operations Manager, Life Edit Therapeutics, Inc.