Former Post-Doctoral Fellows

Name	Degree	Years	Research	Current Position

Marco Todisco	Ph.D, University of Milan	2021-2024	Biomolecular Interactions	Postdoctoral Fellow at Whitehead Institute
Saurja DasGupta	Ph.D., University of Chicago	2019-2023	Evolution of catalytic function in RNA	Assistant professor, University of Notre Dame
Lijun Zhou	Ph.D., Tsinghua University	2015-2022	Origin of life	Assistant professor, The Penn Institute for RNA Innovation
Shriyaa Mittal	Ph.D., Biophysics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	2020-2022	Molecular mechanisms in the origin of life using computational simulations	Journal Manager, AIP Publishing
Seohyun (Chris) Kim	Ph.D., Chemistry, Harvard University	2019-2021	Non-enzymatic RNA primer extension	Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University
Tom Wright	Ph.D, Organic Chemistry, University of Oxford	2018-2021	Chemical and synthetic biology, Origins of life
Li Li	Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	2012-2020	RNA chemical biology and in vitro selection	Assistant Professor, RNA Therapeutics Institute, UMass Medical School
Wen Zhang	Ph.D., Georgia State University	2014-2019	RNA molecular evolution	Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine
Derek O’Flaherty	Ph.D., Concordia University, Canada	2016-2019	Origin of Life	Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph
Lin Jin	Ph.D., Boston University	2013-2018	Protocells, RNA replication	Senior Scientist, Moderna Therapeutics
Anna Wang	Ph.D., Harvard University	2016-2018	Membranes, vesicles	Faculty, School of Chemistry, UNSW Sydney
Chun Pong (James) Tam	Ph.D., Harvard University	2012-2018	Synthesis of non-natural nucleotides; Non-enzymatic RNA primer extension	Senior Scientist, Beam Therapeutics
Ayan Pal	Ph.D., Boston College	2012-2018	Origins of Life	Manager, External Research Collaboration, Novartis Institutes for Biomed.Research, Inc. (NIBR)
Tivoli Olsen	Ph.D., University of California, Irvine	2012-2017	Origins of Life	Scientist, Rubius Therapeutics
Albert Fahrenbach	Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Northwestern University, Chicago	2012-2017	Origins of Life	Lecturer, School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales
Enver Cagri Izgu	Ph.D., University of Minnesota	2012-2017	Systems Chemistry	Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University
Neha Kamat	Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania	2014-2016	Membranes, Protocells	Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University
Seung Soo Oh	Ph. D., University of California, Santa Barbara	2014-2016	Ribozyme selections	Assistant Professor, Pohang University of Science and Technology
Aaron Engelhart	Ph. D., Georgia Institute of Technology	2011-2016	Self-assembly, nucleic acid polymerization	Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota
Christian Hentrich	Ph. D., EMBL and University of Heidelberg	2010-2015	Protocells, self-organization and microscopy	Senior Scientist, R&D Bio-Rad Laboratories
Aaron Larsen	Ph. D., McGill University	2012-2015	RNA catalysis and thermodynamics	Associate Director, Beam Therapeutics
Anders Björkbom	Ph. D., Åbo Akademi University	2012-2015	Lipids and mass spectrometry	Senior Scientist, AstraZeneca
Shenglong Zhang	Ph.D., Columbia	2008-2014	RNA sequencing	Assistant Professor, New York Institute of Technology
Ben Heuberger	Ph.D., U.C. Riverside	2008-2014	Nucleoside chemistry	Patent Agent – K&L Gates LLP
Jia Sheng	Ph.D., Georgia State University	2012-2013	RNA crystallography	Assistant Professor, SUNY Albany
Yollete V. Guillen Schlippe	Ph.D., Brandeis University	2005-2012	Peptide Selections	P.I., Charite, Berlin, Germany
Na Zhang	Ph.D., Cornell U. Medical School	2007-2012	NMR	Associate Professor at High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei, AnHui, China
Matthew Powner	Ph.D., University of Manchester	2009-2011	Predisposed chemistry	Professor of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, UCL
A. Ricardo	Ph.D., Florida	2006-2010	Nucleoside chemistry	Ra Pharmaceuticals
C.-W. Lin	Ph.D., MIT	2006-2010	Peptide selection	Bristol-Myers Squibb
M. Krishnamurthy	Ph.D., U. of Tennessee	2006-2009	Nucleoside chemistry	Asst. Professor at Fitchburg State University
A. Bell	Ph.D., New York University	2005-2009	Peptide Selection	Asst. Prof, The University of San Diego
J. Chen	Ph.D., MIT	2006-2009	GNA	Millennium Pharmaceuticals
J. Iwasa	Ph.D., UCSF	2006-2008	3D molecular visualizations	Asst. Prof., University of Utah
B. Seelig	Ph.D., Freie University Berlin	2000-2008	Peptide selection	Asst. Prof, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
M. Sam	Ph.D., UCLA	2005-2008	Phosphoramidate DNA	Postdoc, UCLA
L. Sun	Ph.D., UMass	2003-2008	Isothermal DNA replication	Applied Biosystems
C. Tsai	Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon	2002-2008	TNA/Protein engineering	GSK
F. Seebeck	Ph.D., ETH-Zurich	2005-2008	Selection of peptides	Prof, University of Basel
A. Patel	Ph.D., M.D., Yale University	2006-2008	RNA aptamer selections	Asst. Prof., Yale Schoo of Medicine
S. Mansy	Ph.D., Ohio State	2004-2007	Model Protocell Membranes	Professor of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Canada
A. Luptak	Ph.D., Yale	2002-2007	Replicase	Prof., U.C. Irvine
J. Ong	Ph.D., Univ of Cambridge	2004-2006	Membrane fusion catalysis	New England Biolabs
M. Hartman	Ph.D., U. Michigan	2003-2006	Peptide Selection	Asst. Prof., Virginia Commonwealth Univ.
K. Josephson	Ph.D., U. Alabama	2002-2006	Protein Selection	Senior Scientist, Serono
P. Sazani	Ph.D., UNC Chapel Hill	2002-2005	Polymerase Ribozymes	Research Assoc., UNC Chapel Hill
P.A. Monnard	Ph.D., ETH	2002-2005	Eutectic RNA polymerization	Associate Prof., Univ. of Southern Denmark
M. Hancyzc	Ph.D., Yale	1999-2005	Selection by Encapsulation	Associate Prof., Univ. of Southern Denmark
K. Salehi-Ashtiani	Ph.D., Northwestern	1994-2005	Ribozymes	Associate Prof., NYU Abu Dhabi
H. J. Lee	Ph.D., Univ of Oxford	2001-2005	mRNA Display	SeraCare Life Sciences
J. Chaput	Ph.D., U.C. Riverside	2000-2004	DNA Self-Assembly	Prof., University of California, Irvine
G. Short	Ph.D., U. Virginia	1999-2002	Protein Evolution	Dir. Microarray Analysis, MGH
R. Liu	Ph.D., UCSD	1997-2001	Protein Selection	Associate Prof., Univ. North Carolina
C.-H. Kim	Ph.D., Cal Tech	1998-2001	NA Replicase	Res. Fellow, NIH
J. Davis	Ph.D., UCSF	1996-2001	Aptamer NMR	Res. Scientist, Lexigen
A. Keefe	Ph.D., Birmingham	1997- 2001	Protein Selection	Group Leader, Archemix
G. Zimmermann	Ph.D., U.C. Boulder	1997-2001	RNP Selction	Res. Scientist, Combinatorex
D. Wilson	Ph.D., Rockefeller	1996-2000	DNA recognition	Research Scientist, Zyomyx
T. Heuer	Ph.D., Stanford	1998-2000	Integrase	Exelixis Pharmaceuticals
Z. Huang	Ph.D., ETH	1994-1998	Aptamers	Prof., Georgia State
R. Roberts	Ph.D., Yale	1993-1997	Protein Selection	Prof., University of Southern California
H. Suga	Ph.D., MIT	1994-1997	Ribozymes	Prof., University of Tokio
C. Lauhon	Ph.D., Berkeley	1992-1996	Redox Aptamers	Associate Prof., University of Wisconsin-Madison
P. Lohse	Ph.D., ETH	1993-1995	New ribozymes	Director of Chemistry, Phylos, Inc.
B. Cuenod	Ph.D., Yale	1993-1995	Catalysis by DNA	Res. Scientist, Novalis
K. Chapman	Ph.D., Hopkins	1992-1994	Ribozymes	Res. Scientist, Geron Corp.
L. Landweber	Ph.D., Harvard	1993-1994	Editing Ribozymes	Assoc. Prof., Princeton
C. Wilson	Ph.D., UCSF	1991-1994	New Ribozymes	Vice President Technology, Archemix
S. Whoriskey	Ph.D., UCLA	1988-1993	Ribozymes	Principal, Whoriskey Associates & MIT E-Center
M. Sassanfar	Ph.D., Cornell U.	1990-1993	Aptamers	Instructor, HHMI undergraduate
A. Ellington	Ph.D., Harvard	1988-1991	Aptamers	Prof., U. Texas, Austin
M. Famulok	Ph.D., U. Marburg	1990-1991	RNA Aptamers	Prof., U. Bonn
U. Pace	Ph.D., Weizman Inst.	1987-1989	Ribozymes	Res. Scientist, Innovir Inc.
D. Dawson	Ph.D., U. Utah	1983-1987	Yeast Meiosis	Group leader, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation
A. Nicholas	Ph.D., U. Paris-Sud	1984-1987	Recombination	Prof., Inst. Curie
V. Lundblad	Ph.D., Harvard	1983-1987	Telomeres	Prof., Salk Institute
D. Treco	Ph.D., SUNY	1985-1988	Recombination	CEO, Ra Pharma
M. Whiteway	Ph.D., U. Alberta	1983-1985	Cell Cycle	Assoc. Prof., NRC Canada
A. Reynolds	Ph.D., Tufts U.	1982-1985	Yeast plasmids	Staff Scientist, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Former Graduate Students

Name	Years	Degree	Research	Current Position

Dian Ding	2019-2023	Ph.D. 2023, Harvard	Nonenzymatic RNA replication	Research Scientist at Arena BioWorks
Lydia Pazienza	2017-2022	Ph.D. 2022, Harvard	Non-enzymatic RNA primer extension	Visiting Assistant Prof. of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Bates College

Constantin Giurgiu	2016-2021	Ph.D. 2021, Harvard	Non-enzymatic RNA primer extension	Research Scientist I, Evozyne

Seohyuan (Chris) Kim	2017-2019	Ph.D. 2019, Harvard	Non-enzymatic RNA replication	Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University

Travis Walton	2014-2019	Ph.D. 2019, Harvard	Non-enzymatic RNA replication	Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School

Weicheng (Michael) Zhang	2013-2018	Ph.D. 2018, Harvard	Chemistry

Lin Jin	2013-2018	Ph.D. 2018, BU	Protocells, RNA replication	Senior Scientist, Moderna Therapeutics

Chun Pong (James) Tam	2013-2018	Ph.D. 2018, Harvard	Synthesis of non-natural nucleotides; Non-enzymatic RNA primer extension	Senior Scientist, Beam Therapeutics

Noam Prywes	2011-2016	Ph.D. 2016, Harvard	Nonenzymatic RNA polymerization	Postdoc, Innovative genomics institute at UC Berkeley

Tony Z. Jia	2012-2016	Ph.D. 2016, Harvard	Peptide-Assisted Nonenzymatic RNA Replication in Coacervate Droplets	Specially appointed Asst. Prof., Earth-Life Science Institute, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan

J. Craig Blain	2008-2013	Ph.D. 2013, Harvard	Synthesis of non-natural nucleic acids	Director, RNA Biochemistry at Arrakis Therapeutic

K. Adamala	2008-2013	Ph.D. 2013, Roma Tre Univ.	Prebiotic synthesis of lipid and nucleotide derivatives	Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota

Itay Budin	2007-2012	Ph.D. 2012, Harvard	Evolutionary Biophysics	Asst. Prof. at University of California San Diego

S. Trevino	2006-2010	Ph.D. 2010, Harvard	Mosaic nucleic acids	Senior Scientist, Genocea


S. Tobé	2005-2010	Ph.D. 2010, France	Non-enzymatic polymerization	Biotech Investment at Omega Funds


T. Zhu	2005-2010	Ph.D. 2010, MIT	Protocell division	Faculty, Tsinghua University, China


J. Schrum	2005-2010	Ph.D. 2010, Harvard	Non-enzymatic polymerization	Director, Translation Sciences at Seagen

M. Elenko	2004-2010	Ph.D. 2010, Harvard	Single aptamer molecules

R. Bruckner	2005-2009	Ph.D. 2009, Harvard	Membrane Behavior	Scientist II, Arrakis Therapeutics

J. Ichida	2000-2007	Ph.D. 2007, Harvard	TNA synthesis	Asst. Prof. at University of Southern California

J. Carothers	1999-2005	Ph.D. 2005, Harvard	RNA Replicase	Postdoc, LBNL / Berkeley

I. Chen	1999-2005	Ph.D. 2005, Harvard	Membrane Interactions	Associate Professor at University of California

G. Cho	1996-2004	Ph.D. 2004, Harvard	mRNA display	Chemistry, MGH

S. Oestreich	2000-2004	Ph.D. 2004, FU Berlin	Aptamer affinity and specificity	V.P. at Mnemo Therapeutics

S. Fujikawa	1999-2003	Ph.D. 2003, Harvard	Vesicle division	Law student

A. Das	1993-2000	Ph.D. 2000, Harvard	Ribozyme Evolution

J. Pollard	1994-2000	Ph.D. 2000, Harvard	Aptamer Evolution	3rd Millenium

J. Urbach	1995-2000	Ph.D. 2000, Harvard	Ribozyme Evolution	Senior Data Scientist at Ragon Institute

A. Hager	1991-1997	Ph.D. 1997, Harvard	RNA Replicase	Patent Preparer

D. Huizenga	1992-1997	Ph.D. 1997, Harvard	Deoxyribozymes	Law Student

J. Lorsch	1991-1995	Ph.D. 1995, Harvard	Selecting New Ribozymes	Senior PI, NICHD; Director, NIGMS

C.-W. Lin	1989-1994	Ph.D. 1994, Harvard	Ribozyme mechanisms	Resident, U. Chicago

D. Bartel	1988-1993	Ph.D. 1993, Harvard	Ribozyme selctions	Prof., MIT/HHMI

R. Green	1987-1992	Ph.D. 1992, Harvard	Ribozymes	Prof., Johns Hopkins/HHMI

H. Sun	1986-1991	Ph.D. 1990, Harvard	Recombination	Nevada Cancer Institute

M. Hanna	1985-1990	Ph.D. 1990, Harvard	Ribozymes	Postdoc, McGill

N. Schultes	1985-1990	Ph.D. 1990, Harvard	Recombination	Res. Scientist, USDA

J. Doudna	1984-1989	Ph.D. 1989, Harvard	Ribozymes	Prof., U.C. Berkeley/HHMI

B. Dunn	1982-1988	Ph.D. 1988, Harvard	Telomeres	Res. Scientist

N Sugawara	1980-1988	Ph.D. 1988, Harvard	Telomeres	Postdoc, Brandeis

S. Ruby	1980-1985	Ph.D. 1985, Harvard	DNA Repair	Prof., UNM

A. Murray	1980-1985	Ph.D. 1984, Harvard	Chromosone Structure	Prof., Harvard

T. Orr-Weaver	1979-1983	Ph.D. 1983, Harvard	Recombination	Prof., MIT

Former Visiting Scientists

Name	Degree	Years	Research	Current Position

C. Bonfio	Ph.D., Università degli Studi di Trento, Italy	June-September 2016	Protocells	Junior Group Leader, Institut de Science et d’ Ingenierie Supramoleculaires (ISIS) in Strasbourg, France

N. Vaish	Ph.D., IIT Kanpur, India	1999-2001	RNA/Protein Evolution	Associate Director, MDRNA Inc.

Satoru Horiya	Ph.D., The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo	2010-2012	Peptide Selections	Postdoc, Brandeis

Former Undergraduate Students

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.