Team

Our team

A multidisciplinary group of scientists who love gene expression, mitochondria and RNA — with training in biology, chemistry, physics, neuroscience, public health and computation.

L. Stirling Churchman, PhD

Professor of Genetics

PhD in Physics, Stanford University

churchman@genetics.med.harvard.edu

Mary Couvillion, PhD

Computational Biologist

PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Maddie Flanagan

Technician / Lab Manager

BS in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Northeastern University

madison_flanagan@hms.harvard.edu

Inés Patop, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Brandeis University

The Parkinson's Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

ines_patop@hms.harvard.edu

Nick Ide, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Biological Science, Columbia University

Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellowship

nick_ide@hms.harvard.edu

Ana-Maria Raicu, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award F32

ana-maria_raicu@hms.harvard.edu

Jimmy Ly, PhD

Collaborating Postdoctoral Fellow

Home lab: Kajimura Lab, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

PhD in Biology, Whitehead Institute / MIT

Junior Fellow, Harvard Society of Fellows

jly7@bidmc.harvard.edu

Erin Duffy, PhD

Collaborating Postdoctoral Fellow

Home lab: Greenberg Lab, Harvard Medical School

PhD in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University

Dale F. Frey Award for Breakthrough Scientists, Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation

erin_duffylacy@hms.harvard.edu

Hope Merens

MCO Graduate Student

BA in Biochemistry and Neurobiology, MS in Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania

National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship

hmerens@g.harvard.edu

Gyan Prakash

Biological Sciences in Public Health Graduate Student

MS in Biochemistry, McGill University

gprakash@g.harvard.edu

Lisa Hansen

BBS Graduate Student

BA in Biochemistry and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder

lisahansen@g.harvard.edu

Claire Nuessmeier

Chemical Biology Graduate Student

BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Marquette University

clairenuessmeier@g.harvard.edu

Jiaming Huang

HSPH Master's Student

BS in Bioinformatics, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

jiaming_huang@hsph.harvard.edu

There is room for more

We are recruiting postdoctoral fellows and taking rotation students. See what we look for and how to apply →

Alumni

Where people went next

Former postdocs

Andreas Mayer, PhDProfessor of RNA Biology and Genomics, Medical University of Innsbruck
Umut Eser, PhDHead of Generative AI, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicines
Julia di Iulio, PhDSenior Director, Vir Biotechnology
Andrew Stergachis, MD, PhDAssociate Professor of Medicine and Genome Sciences, University of Washington
Iliana Pascal (Soto), PhDBiomedical Sciences Program Director, Keiser University, Miami Campus
Danya Martell-Smart, PhDPatent Agent, Wilson Sonsini
Karine Choquet, PhDAssistant Professor, Université de Sherbrooke
Robert Ietswaart, PhDIncoming Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas (Fall 2026)
Nick Kramer, PhDStaff Scientist, Illumina
R. Stefan Isaac, PhDAssistant Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Boston University
Erik McShane, PhDSenior Scientist, Flagship Labs 103, Flagship Pioneering
Katja Hansen, PhDPostdoctoral Fellow, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau

Former graduate students

Kevin Harlen, PhDAssociate VP, AI & Data Solutions, Deloitte
Heather Drexler (Landry), PhDR&D Strategy & Performance Excellence Director, Amgen
Blake Tye, PhDGlobal Industry Analyst, Biopharma Equity Research, Wellington Management
Kate Lafontant (Lachance), PhDAsset Leader, Wave, McKinsey & Company
Aaron Aker, PhDApplication Scientist–NGS, Integrated DNA Technologies
Brendan Smalec, PhDSenior Manager, Bain & Company
Tommy Tullius, PhDPostdoctoral Fellow, Levine Lab, Princeton University
Jake Bridgers, PhD

Former undergraduate students

Leah Rosen, PhDThesis award: Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize for her senior thesisGraduate program: PhD in Bioinformatics, University of Cambridge / EMBL-EBINow: Postdoctoral researcher, Lappalainen Lab, SciLifeLab
David SokolovGraduate program: PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of WashingtonNow: Graduate student, Sullivan Lab, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Devin Bowen WanGraduate program: PhD in Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong KongNow: PhD student, He Lab, HKU School of Biomedical Sciences
Raquel Merino UrteagaGraduate program: PhD in Developmental Biology and Biophysics, Johns Hopkins UniversityNow: Researcher, Ha Lab, Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital / HHMI

Former technicians and lab managers

Joseph LingGraduate program: MD, Morehouse School of MedicineNow: Founder and CEO, Lucid Management; refractive surgeon
Kristine L. TrottaGraduate program: PhD, UCSF Tetrad Graduate ProgramNow: Technical project manager and molecular biologist; most recently at Breaking
Erin SmithGraduate program: MEd in Science, Stanford UniversityNow: Curriculum Specialist, California Academy of Sciences; Biology Teacher and New Teacher Mentor, Berkeley Unified School District
Brian DeboGraduate program: DPhil in Clinical Medicine, University of OxfordNow: Group Manager, Ludwig Cancer Research, University of Oxford
Justin D. Falk, DOGraduate program: DO, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic MedicineNow: Neurology Resident Physician, Emory University School of Medicine
Autum KoenigsGraduate program: MD/PhD Program, University of WashingtonNow: MD/PhD student, University of Washington
Mike KourkoulakosGraduate program: Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Princeton UniversityNow: Incoming graduate student, Princeton University (Fall 2026)