Ilya is a Biology Ph.D. student at MIT and an NSF Graduate Fellow. He obtained his B.S. in Physics and Mathematics at University of Virginia, but switched fields after discovering that living cells are very complex and much more fun to poke at than equations. During his first research experience in biology as part of the Virginia iGEM team, he spearheaded designing and modeling a system for improved wastewater treatment. Later, his research interests led him to work on yeast, first in the Kozminski lab at UVA where he studied oxysterol binding protein homologs (Osh), and later in the Sadhu lab at NIH, where he discovered a novel defense factor against a yeast "killer" toxin. In his free time, he likes to play ping pong and rock climb with friends. He is reachabale at ilyaa[at]mit[dot]edu

Dr. Hatoon Baazim was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and earned her PhD at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine and the Medical University of Vienna with Dr. Andreas Bergthaler, studying immune-metabolic regulation during chronic viral infection. She later joined Dr. Gökhan Hotamisligil’s lab at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, just as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the US, where her postdoctoral research uncovered a novel pathway in the metabolic control of SARS-CoV2 replication. Her research focuses on immunometabolic crosstalk in adipose tissue and across organs, and its impact on host-pathogen interactions and disease progression. Beyond the lab, Hatoon explores the intersection of science and art through scientific illustrations and figurative drawing. She also enjoys creative writing, traveling, and learning dance forms rooted in Afro-Latin traditions.tion goes here

Kalina is an undergraduate at Yale University studying computational biology and journalism. She is curious about the interactions between the nervous and immune systems, and is excited to be joining the lab to do immunology research this summer. Outside of lab, you can find her rock climbing, playing guitar, and listening to her favorite podcasts.

Gabriella is completing her undergraduate education at Arizona State University, with a double major in biochemistry and microbiology. At ASU, she is a student under Dr. Benjamin Bartelle where she pursued projects to resolve and manipulate neuroimmune states using synthetic biology. The focus of Dr. Bartelle’s lab on how microglia contribute to the health and disease of the brain led her to develop an interest in the immune system's role in maintaining homeostasis. After graduating from ASU in 2024, she will take this newfound passion to the Laboratory of Immunophysiology, where she hopes to expand her knowledge of how immune cells regulate tissue physiology. In the future, she hopes to earn a Ph.D. and pursue a career in academia. Outside of the lab, she enjoys listening to her favorite music and podcasts as well as science outreach.

Isabella recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Biology. During her time in Philadelphia, she worked in Dr. Brian Gregory’s lab, studying the plant epitranscriptome and how it informs plant stress response. Specifically, her work focused on characterizing the unique, plant-specific functions of an eraser protein, Dxo1. A Massachusetts native, Isabella is excited to be back in her home state, working in a city teeming with biological innovation. She is eager to learn more about how the immune system contributes to tissue homeostasis and to investigate the functions of immune cells beyond the context of disease defense. In addition to her love of science, Isabella also possesses love for the sport of gymnastics, the great outdoors, flowers of all shapes and sizes, broadway musicals, and her hometown. 

Anika is a MIT Dean of Science Graduate Fellow. Originally from Montgomery, Alabama Anika first moved to New England to attend Brown University. She graduated in 2022 with a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology. During her time at Brown, she was part of Dr. Kimberly Mowry’s lab, where she studied the localization and dynamics of prion-like proteins in a novel biomolecular condensate. She is excited to learn and work in the space of immunophysiology, getting to focus on molecular and cellular interactions within the context of tissue development, homeostasis, and disease. Outside of the lab you can find her jogging, reading, hiking, or exploring Boston. You can contact her at ahutton[at]mit[dot]edu

Clarissa is an undergraduate student from Wellesley College working towards a B.A. in biochemistry. She is excited to gain proficiency in lab techniques and build her biomolecular foundation with a supportive scientific community. She is an HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Program scholar and looks foward to continue learning foundational skills as a scientist. Beyond the lab, she enjoys exploring coffee shops, watching crime documentaries, and attending concerts. 

Hernandez Moura Silva received a Masters Degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Brasília in 2008 and a PhD in Immunology from the University of São Paulo School of Medicine in 2011, both in Brazil.
He decided to expand his scientific horizons and moved to New York City to perform his postdoctoral studies under the supervision of Dr. Juan J. Lafaille at the New York University School of Medicine. His postdoctoral work highlighted how perivascular macrophage subpopulations within the white adipose tissue contribute to the maintenance of immune-metabolic homeostasis.
At MIT Biology, Hernandez looks forward to sharing his passion for immunology with scientists from diverse backgrounds.

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Michelle joined the lab in 2025 as a graduate student in the MIT Biology PhD program. She spent most of her childhood between Uganda and Kenya, and still calls both home. She began cultivating her passion for immunology  at Macalester College in Minnesota while conducting muscular dystrophy related research with Dr. Darko Bosnakovski at the University of Minnesota. She also had a stint in cancer immunology in the MIT Summer Research Program in Dr. Tyler Jacks' lab at the Koch Institute after which she became captivated by macrophages and all the amazing things they can do! Outside of lab, she enjoys attending to live music performances, trying out dance classes in the area, visiting museums, baking and spending time with family and friends. 

She can be reached at mosiro at mit dot edu

Hui grew up in Jiangxi Province, China. She completed her PhD at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, where she conducted research on the functional heterogeneity of skeletal stem cells under the guidance of Dr. Bo Zhou. Currently, she is pursuing her postdoctoral training with a keen interest in exploring mechanisms of how perivascular macrophages regulate tissue homeostasis and initiate disease. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, capturing picturesque moments through photography, reading and playing badminton.

Jill is a K. Lisa Yang Brain-Body Center Graduate Student Fellow. Jill grew up in Connecticut and graduated from NYU in May 2022 with a double major in Biology and Spanish. While she was an undergrad, she completed research in the lab of Dr. Shruti Naik and investigated the differences between the neonatal and adult allergic response. Joining the lab of immunophysiology opens an exciting new chapter for Jill to continue studying immunology in order to better understand the non-canonical functions of immune cells like macrophages. Beyond the lab, she enjoys skateboarding, playing video games, drawing, and spending time with her cat. You can contact her at jillw[at]mit[dot]edu.

Born and raised in Hunan Province, China, Jia moved to Iowa to pursue her passion in biology at the University of Iowa. After a fantastic research experience with Dr. Bin He studying the evolution of stress response in yeast, she was admitted to MIT Biology PhD Program to explore new research fields and meet fantastic people since Aug 2021. Jia is super excited to learn more about immunology and tissue physiology. When not studying, you can find her trying many activities: rock climbing (even though she is afraid of height), swimming (begin to learn in April 2022), running (running a marathon as a lifetime goal), hiking, cooking, watching movies, and trying hard to learn new vocabularies and different cultures. You can contact her at jiazhao[at]mit[dot]edu

Brandon received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences from Westfield State University in 2021. After two stellar years in the lab, in Jan 2024 Brandon is back to his alma mater to become a Physician Assistant.

Bia is concluding her PhD at the University of Campinas. During her two fantastic years at at the Laboratory of Immunophysiology she explored new mechanisms related to the immune system in psoriasis, expanding her horizons. On October 2024 Beatriz returned back to Brazil to wrap up her PHD project and starting planing her next scientific steps. You can contact her at biab1995 [at] hotmail [dot] com

Ndongwa is an undergraduate biology student at Agnes Scott College and during the summer of 2024 joined the Laboratory of Immunophysiology as a MSRP-Bio student at MIT. After learning a lot about cell trafficking and contribute to ongoing projects, Ndongwa now is starting a Post-Bac before starting her Graduate Studies.

Ana is an undergraduate student at MIT. Upon entering MIT she decided to get hands-on research experience and landed at LIP. Joining the lab provided her with an opportunity to learn and help others with their experiments. She hopes to pursue an MD-PhD upon graduating MIT. You can reach her at anavad [at] mit [dot] edu”