Juan grew up in Guatemala, and went to school there and in Italy. He graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Molecular Biology, and from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Ph.D. in Biology. He worked as an HHMI LSRF Fellow in the Melton Lab at Harvard University, studying the physiological maturation of pancreatic islets. His interests include regenerative medicine, circadian rhythms, and organoids. Outside of lab, Juan enjoys film, music, travel, skiing, and chess.

Sam graduated from University of Maryland in 2019 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He worked for three years at AstraZeneca in Bioprocess Development, where he researched N-linked glycosylation, Raman chemometric modeling, and perfusion technologies. Broadly, Sam’s interests lie in researching and developing technologies for unmet medical needs—currently, optimizing pancreatic islet maturation and scale-up for therapeutic application. Outside the lab, Sam enjoys rock climbing, romantic date nights, snowboarding, beach volleyball and kicking it with friends.

Mai graduated from Purdue University in 2020 with a major in biological engineering and minors in computer science and biotechnology. He completed his master of biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2022, where he studied cell-specific gene expression using deep learning-enabled tissue labeling in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. His interests lie in cell therapy and regenerative medicine, including current projects on epigenetic control of human pancreatic islet maturation. Outside the lab, Mai enjoys playing video games and hanging out with friends.

Zihan Graduated from Purdue University in 2020 with a degree in Biological Engineering and a minor in Biotechnology. From 2020 – 2022, she pursued her master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering in the Johns Hopkins University, where she explored the epigenetic and mechanotransducive regulation of PD-L1 expression in breast cancer cells. Zihan’s professional interests include tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy. Her personal interests include watching Chinese costume drama, cooking, baking, hiking, and traveling with friends.

Stephen graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2017 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Most recently, he worked for two years at a biotech company using directed evolution to engineer N-terminal amino acid recognizers for use in a time-domain protein sequencing instrument. Before this, he worked in labs at Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health, focusing on immunoengineering and molecular gerontology, respectively. Stephen’s scientific interests include functional genomics, molecular engineering, experimental automation, and open science. He is a student leader of the Graduate Association of Bioengineers (GABE) and a Research Council Representative of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA). Outside the lab, he enjoys cooking, traveling, backpacking, and live music.

Max graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 2026 with a bachelor's degree in Bioengineering. As an undergraduate, he studied macrophage mechanobiology and T cell receptor biophysics in the labs of Dr. Dennis E. Discher and Dr. Ning Jenny Jiang, respectively. He is interested in the intersection of circadian rhythm and islet- and immune-engineering, and developing broadly applicable solutions to autoimmunity. Outside of the lab he loves hiking and backpacking as well as drawing and baking when he's at home.

Suhani graduated from Manipal Institute of Technology in 2020 with a degree in Biotechnology. She then moved to Baltimore to pursue a Master’s in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, where she studied human sclerotome development using stem cell–based tissue engineering models of post-somitogenesis processes. Her research interests include tissue engineering and developmental biology, particularly the use of engineered models to better understand human development and disease. Outside the lab, Suhani enjoys working out, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with family and friends. She also loves exploring new places to eat.

Lizzy received a BA from William Jewell College in Molecular Biology in 2018 and a PhD from Dartmouth College in 2026 in Molecular and Systems Biology where she investigated molecular mechanisms underlying the core circadian clock in the Dunlap/Loros Lab. She is currently interested in the relationship between the circadian clock and development. Outside of lab, Lizzy enjoys skiing, running, and knitting.

Felicia graduated from UC San Diego in 2025 with degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology. During her undergraduate study, she explored how lipid droplet accumulation in microglia is regulated using CRISPR-Cas9 screening, studied Purkinje neuron transcriptomics in spinocerebellar ataxia, and investigated therapeutic targets in stem and progenitor cells for neurodegenerative diseases. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of the lab, Felicia loves dancing, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her cat.

Jingyi graduated from the University of Michigan in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Biotechnology here at Penn. Her major interests include understanding the molecular basis of diseases and transferring theoretical knowledge into real world impact. Outside of the academics, Jingyi enjoys music, trying out different restaurants, traveling, and cooking.

Grace graduated from UC San Diego in 2026 with a degree in Marine Biology. During her undergraduate studies, she investigated the role of MRE11 and ATR kinase in DNA double-strand break repair using live-cell laser ablation and fluorescence microscopy, and explored how crab limb morphology influences heat transfer and thermal regulation using infrared thermography. She is now pursuing her master’s degree in Biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of the lab, Grace likes hiking, playing badminton, and traveling.

Tina graduated from the University of California, Davis in 2026 with degrees in Biological Sciences and Psychology. During her undergraduate studies, she investigated epigenetic regulation in undifferentiated spermatogonia at the Namekawa Lab. She also conducted computational genomic analyses to identify cancer-associated biomarkers during her internship at OMIX Science. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in Biotechnology at the University of Pennsylvania, with research interests in regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies. Outside of the lab, Tina enjoys baking, hiking, and exploring new coffee shops.

Isabella Jabbour is a sophomore from Scarsdale, New York, on the pre-med track at the University of Pennsylvania. A Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar and published researcher, she has conducted research at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Columbia University, Boston College, and Johns Hopkins University. Her work spans gene-editing technologies, neurodegenerative disease research, sustainable biomaterials, and behavioral modeling. Beyond the lab, she is involved with the Wharton Undergraduate Healthcare Club, PUBS Consulting, MUSE Digital Consulting, The Walk Magazine, and Penn Appétit.

Jeff is a current junior in the College of Arts and Sciences studying biochemistry. When you don't find him studying, you can see him in the gym, hanging with friends, or playing various sports. In his freetime, he enjoys watching movies, finding niche eating spots, and visiting tourist spots.

Luisa is a student at the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing a B.A. in Biology and in Anthropology with a minor in Latin American Studies. She is passionate about translational research and integrating mathematical and computational approaches into wet lab experiments. Outside of the lab, Luisa enjoys hiking, attending concerts, engaging in science communication, and spending quality time with her loved ones.