Women’s health has been under-modeled for far too long.
Take endometriosis: it affects 1 in 10 women and girls, yet research investment and model development still fall short. At the MIT Center for Gynepathology Research (CGR), we’re helping close that gap by developing microphysiological systems (MPS) that better reflect human physiology and pathology in vitro.
If you’re heading to the MPS World Summit, May 26–29, stop by booth 612 to learn how we’re advancing better models through our new NIH-funded NAMs Technology Development Center for Women’s Health.
Or catch up with our latest work at cgr.mit.edu.
Meet BE senior Isabella Pérez Rodríguez...
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT AND WHY?
I would say my favorite subject was 20.109–Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering; it solidified my love for wet lab biology and taught both foundational and novel techniques in the field. It also gave me a lot of experience in scientific writing and communication, which has helped me become a better researcher. I also really enjoyed 20.309–Instrumentation and Measurement for Biological Systems and 20.330–Fields, Forces and Flows in Biological Systems, due to both the exciting content and exceptional teaching staff.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
I’m going to miss the authentic, collaborative spirit of this campus and the amount of resources and opportunities available to us. Everyone I've met has unique passions and goals that continue to inspire me. Most of all, I'll miss the friendships I made here, which truly defined my college experience and made MIT feel like home.
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
I'm heading across the Charles to begin a PhD in Bioengineering at Northeastern University, where I will do research on mammalian synthetic biology in Dr. Lei Wang's Lab. @northeastern
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
So many people in the BE department have guided me through coursework, research opportunities, and grad school applications. I’m particularly grateful for the guidance of my academic advisor, Prof. Angela Koehler, and for the constant support from Becky and Maxine. I would also like to thank my direct UROP supervisor, Yichao Zhao, who challenged me to become a more independent researcher while cultivating a supportive and fun research environment. Finally, thank you to my second family at The Number Six Club for being my strongest support system these last four years. @mitnumbersix
Meet BE senior Monica Petulla…
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT?
20.260 - Computational Analysis of Biological Data! This is a fantastic project-based class that really helped me learn and apply coding principles to analyze large biological datasets.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
Camp Kesem at MIT! The organization is full of incredibly passionate and interesting people who inspire me to be the best version of myself.
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
I will be pursuing a Master's in Bioengineering at MIT, supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program! I'm so excited to stay close and build on some of the projects I worked on in undergrad with the help of SuperUROP (shoutout to HEALS and 6.UAR!).
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
SO many people! My research mentor Dr. Kristin Knouse, the entire Knouse Lab, every professor and instructor in Course 20. All of these people are so passionate about empowering undergraduates and I would not be where I am today without them. And of course everyone in Kesem MIT and MITWLAX - these communities have taught me the definition of family!
Meet BE senior Clarence Zheng
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT AND WHY?
20.320–Analysis of Biomolecular and Cellular Systems! I really enjoyed learning how to develop the mindset of thinking about biological systems as mathematical systems. I loved 20.250–Quantitative Medical Physiology for Scientists and Engineers and 20.420–Principles of Molecular Bioengineering as well.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
I will miss the people, particularly how collaborative and supportive everybody is here.
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
I'll be moving to Philly to pursue my MD-PhD at UPenn!
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
My friends/colleagues/mentors in the Boyden Lab, the MIT Biotech Group, and the BE community in general! I couldn't have had such a great time without them.
Who's up at BATS?
Brian Cheng (Blainey Lab): “StimDrop: High-Throughput Combinatorial Microfluidics Platform for Transcriptional Profiling”
Bruce Enzmann (White & Knouse Labs): “Investigating the Signaling Mechanisms of Organ Size Control in the Liver”
Meet BE senior Nathan Shapiro...
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT AND WHY?
Though I loved all my BE classes, my favorite was 20.109-Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering. I learned new wet lab skills while performing meaningful experiments that continue the work of various BE faculty, and I honed my scientific communication skills through excellent instruction and LOTS of feedback.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
I will miss going out to eat with my friends, late nights studying, walking around the city, and rooting against the Celtics.
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
I will be starting my Ph.D. in Bioengineering at Caltech!
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
My UROP PI, Matthew Shoulders, has been extremely supportive; my direct mentor, Julie McDonald, has been generous with her time and patience while training me. The BE community has provided me more mentors and friends than I can name, I'm especially grateful for Maxine Jonas, Steve Wasserman, Phil Brooks, and Scott Manalis for being inspiring lecturers and also kind mentors as I learned to TA my peers.
Meet BE senior Katie Spivakovsky...
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT?
20.309 (Instrumentation and Measurement for Biological Systems) felt like the pinnacle of bioengineering. It combines multiple seemingly non-biological techniques, from Fourier transforms to electronic circuits, in order to investigate exciting biological questions. I enjoy that philosophy of tackling biology from unexpected directions. On top of fun content, the incredibly thoughtful teaching staff made the class truly exceptional.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
I'll miss having so many resources, friends, and facilities right at my fingertips. I appreciate how little activation energy it takes to get pset help on campus, visit a friend in a neighboring dorm, or go to the gym. Having that kind of support system and infrastructure has made me more productive and more connected to the people around me.
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
Next year I'll be earning my MPhil in Biological Science at the University of Cambridge as a Churchill Scholar, and then I'm heading to Caltech for my PhD in Bioengineering.
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
I am immensely grateful for many members of the BE community. My UROP PI, Prof Mark Bathe, and my mentors, Anna Romanov and Marjan Omer, have supported my evolving research interests since freshman year. I've learned a lot about life, science, and navigating academia from Prof Bryan Bryson. I'm grateful to Justin Buck for welcoming me in the BioMakerSpace, and I dearly appreciate Maxine Jonas, Steve Wasserman, and Phil Brooks for guiding me through multiple course 20 classes as a student and TA.
In a new study, Hansen Lab researchers have measured chromatin movement at timescales ranging from hundreds of microseconds to hours, allowing them to rigorously quantify those dynamics for the first time. Find full article at news.mit.edu.
Who's up at BATS?
Matt Zackin (Niles Lab): “A Machine Learning Pipeline for Target-Specific Antimalarial Drug Discovery”
Daniel Sellers (Ribbeck Lab): “Intestinal Mucin Architecture as a Driver of Microbial Community Health”
#infectiousdisease #mucin
"Ask Janina Ojeiduma ’27 to describe one of her foremost personality traits and she’ll tell you: curiosity.
'I love to find different interests and fall down rabbit holes,” says the biological engineering major from Fulshear, Texas, outside Houston.
'I get really passionate and excited about novel ideas. Being at MIT has allowed me to really delve into that.'"
Read the full piece...
betterworld.mit.edu/spectrum/
Meet BE / Course 20 Senior Leah Prizant...
FAVORITE COURSE 20 SUBJECT?
My favorite subject is 20.320–Analysis of Biomolecular and Cellular Systems. I really enjoyed modeling pathways in cells like signaling and drug metabolism. It felt like true bioengineering to be able to analyze, predict, and iterate on the systems that keep us alive. I came back to TA the class a year after taking it, and had an even more fun time revisiting the content and working with my fellow BE students.
WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE AT MIT?
I will miss my friends and the collaborative community here!
WHERE WILL YOU BE NEXT YEAR?
I will be working in clinical research at NYU Langone Department of Orthopedic Surgery as a gap year before medical school.
WHO DESERVES A SHOUT-OUT?
I want to give special shout-out to all the amazing professors I've had in my core course 20 classes and all my group partners in the past 4 years, especially Lauren Levy and Lexi Fernandez. Course 20 has been an incredibly supportive department and family. I also want to give a huge thank-you to my UROP mentors and supervisors in the Langer-Traverso Lab for inspiring me to work in translational research and medicine.
