People
Meni Wanunu
Principal Investigator
Ph.D. Weizmann Institute (2005)
Office: +1-617-373-7412 (ISEC 329)
E-mail: wanunu@neu.edu
Google Scholar report
CV (as of Jan. 2022)
Recent Positions:
2023 – Present: Professor, Northeastern Univ.
2017 – 2023: Assoc. Prof., Northeastern Univ.
2011 – 2017: Asst. Prof., Northeastern Univ.
2009 – 2011: Research Associate, Univ. of Pennsylvania
2006 – 2009: Research Associate, Boston Univ.
Research Interests: The interface between biomolecules and nanomaterials.
What I do: I enjoy spending (too much?) time in the lab doing experiments, teaching physics/biophysics, and I don’t like to write grant proposals… but I do that also.
Postdocs and Staff
Kevin Bardon
Post-Doctoral Associate - Ph.D. Bioengineering, Northeastern University
E-mail: bardon.k@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, bioconjugation, photophysics.
Rik Dhar
Post-Doctoral Associate - Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kansas
M.Tech. in Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India; B.Tech. in Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata, India.
E-mail: ri.dhar@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore-based sequencing of membrane proteins.
Xialin Zhang
Post-Doctoral Associate - Ph.D. in Nanoscience, Aarhus University
M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sichuan University
B.s. in Pharmaceutics, Zhengzhou University.
E-mail: xial.zhang@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore-based protein sensing, protein nanopore engineering.
Drew Bostrom
Software Technician
E-mail: a.bostrom@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Software development, DNA and RNA sequencing data analysis
Parker Hitt
Undergraduate Researcher / Co-op
Education: M.S. student in Biotechnology, Northeastern University; B.S. in Biology.
E-mail: hitt.s@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: RNA sequencing diagnostic assay development.
Dina Boyko
M.S. Researcher / Co-op
Education: M.S. student in Bioinformatics, Northeastern University.
E-mail: boyko.d@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: RNA sequencing, data analysis.
Ph.D. Students
Amr Makhamreh
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: makhamreh.a@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore-based sequencing, RNA modifications, Machine Learning, Bioinformatics.
Ali Fallahi
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Bioengineering (Bioelectronics), University of California, Santa Cruz
E-mail: fallahi.a@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore-based Sequencing, Nanofabrication, Electrical Engineering and DAQ systems, Machine Learning, Viral Particles.
Seunghwan Noh
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. and M.S. Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University
E-mail: noh.s@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: DNA Sequencing, Nanofabrication, Nanocomposites, BioOptics and Bioelectronics
Zhuoyu Zhang
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering
E-mail: zhang.zhuoyu@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Organic chemistry, Biomolecule modifications
Yuanyuan Shi
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - M.S. Bioengineering, Northeastern University
E-mail: shi.yua@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Membrane protein expression and processing
Yvonne Yee
Ph.D. Student, Chemical Engineering - M.S. Cornell University, Chem. Eng., B.S. UC San Diego Chem. Eng.
E-mail: yee.y@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Biooptics, RNA sequencing, RNA modifications, nanofabrication.
Yu Chen (Viola)
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Mat Sci and Eng, Sichuan University, and M.S. Mat Sci and Eng, Duke University
E-mail: chen.yu20@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: nanopore-based sensing and detection.
Jose Cisneros
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Bioengineering, Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología (UTEC), Peru
E-mail: cisnerosmandujano.j@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: DNA Origami, Protein modeling and design.
Former
Pascale Moon
Undergraduate Researcher / Visiting Student
Education: Physics B.S. student, University of Washington
E-mail: p.moon@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Evaluation of biological nanopores and novel membranes.
Laxmi Pandey
Ph.D. Student, Physics - B.S. Tribhuvan University, Katmandu
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: pandey.l@husky.neu.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanoporous systems.
Xinqi Kang
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, China
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: kang.xin@husky.neu.edu
Scientific Activities: New platforms for nanopore-based sensing.
Melissa Scanlon
Undergraduate Researcher / Co-op
E-mail: scanlon.m@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Organic chemistry, molecular biology, RNA sequencing
Sriram Velmurugan
Part-time Technician
E-mail: velmurugan.s@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Protein expression and purification
Luning Yu
Ph.D. Student, Physics - M.S. University of Cincinnati
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 355)
E-mail: yu.lun@husky.neu.edu
Scientific Activities: articifical membranes, protein sensing and sequencing.
Pengyu Zheng
Ph.D. Student, Physics - B.S. China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: zheng.p@husky.neu.edu
Scientific Activities: Optical probing of transport through nanopores.
Fatemeh Farhangdoust
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. University of Tehran
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: f.farhangdoust@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Optical biopolymer sequencing.
Dr. Prabhat Tripathi
Post-Doctoral Associate – PhD, UMass Amherst
Current position: Assistant professor in the chemistry department at IIT BHU (Varanasi, India).
Scientific Activities: Protein studies using synthetic and biomimetic nanopores.
Mohammad Nabizadeh
Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering - M.S Mechanical Engineering, Koc University, Turkey, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, Iran
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: nabizadehmashhadto.m@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore-based sequencing, DNA storage.
Mehrnaz Mojtabavi
Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering - B.S. Sharif University of Technology
Defended her Ph.D. on Sep 20, 2021
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: mehrnaz.mojtabavi@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Protein channel pores.
Libo Zhu
Visiting Ph.D. Student, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: lib.zhu@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Solid-state nanopore development.
Hirohito Yamazaki
Post-Doctoral Associate - PhD, Keio University, Japan
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: h.yamazaki@neu.edu
Scientific Activities: Optical observation of DNA transport through nanopores.
Bedanga Sapkota
Ph.D. Student - Physics M.Sc. Univ. Memphis
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 359)
E-mail: sapkota.b@husky.neu.edu
Current Position: Postdoctoral Associate at MSE Department, Tuskegee University.
Mohammad Amin Alibakhshi
Associate Research Scientist - PhD, Boston University
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: m.alibakhshi@northeastern.edu
Vivek Jadhav
Post-Doctoral Associate - PhD, University of Pune, India
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: v.jadhav@neu.edu
Scientific Activities: Single-molecule biophysics has always fascinated me and I’m keen to learn and enhance my knowledge in the interdiciplinary fields of science. I will be working at the interface of biophysics and nanotechnology.
Current position: postdoc at Cornell, Michael Shuler lab.
Anthony Vargas
Post-Doctoral Associate - PhD, Northeastern University
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 355)
E-mail: vargas.a@husky.neu.edu
Scientific Activities: 2D materials synthesis, CVD.
Yinghua Qiu
Post-Doctoral Associate - PhD, Southeast University / UC Irvine
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: y.qiu@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Nanopore fabrication and particle analysis.
Current Position: Professor, Shandong University.
Benjamin Cressiot
Post-Doctoral Associate - PhD, University of Evry, France
E-mail: b.cressiot@neu.edu
Current Position: Professor, Université de Cergy-Pontoise, France.
Haojie Yang
Visiting Ph.D. Student - Southeast University, Nanjing, China
E-mail: ha.yang@northeastern.edu
Scientific Activities: Extreme nanopores for detecting objects.
Rui Hu
Visiting Scholar, Peking University
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: hooray@pku.edu.cn
Scientific Activities: Protein detection using nanopores.
Xiaoqing Li
Visiting Scholar, Peking University
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: 329274746@qq.com
Scientific Activities: Virus detection using nanopores.
Dr. Robert Y. Henley
Former position in lab: Ph.D. Student
Current position: postdoc at Salk Institute, Joseph Ecker lab.
Hannah Bialic
Former position in lab: Undergraduate student co-op
Currently at University of Glasgow.
Kathryn Larkin
Undergraduate student, Northeastern University
Dr. Pradeep Waduge
Defended his Ph.D. on April 7, 2017
Expert on 2D materials, nanopores, nanofabrication and microfabrication, protein analysis using nanopores.
Current position: Global Foundries, Malta NY.
Ana Vazquez-Pagan
Undergraduate, Biology
E-mail: vazquez-pagan.a@husky.neu.edu
Current: Internship at Purdue University.
Dr. Spencer Carson
Defended his Ph.D. on Feb 1, 2016
Expert on nanopores, nanofabrication and microfabrication, DNA biophysics, data analysis, and DNA molecular biology.
Current position: Genedata, Lexington MA.
Dr. Joseph Larkin
Defended his Ph.D. on Dec 7, 2015.
Expert on complex nanofabrication, single-molecule measurements, nanopores, and optical devices. Developed nanopore zero-mode waveguides as tools to focus individual biomolecules for single-molecule optical interrogation and DNA sequencing.
Current position: Postdoc with Gurol Suel, UC San Diego.
Baram Sosis
Intern
Lab: +1-617-373-7818 (Egan 331)
E-mail: b.sosis@neu.edu
Work performed: Helped to build and maintain the website and running PCR and gel electrophoresis for various projects in the lab.
Current position: Undergraduate student at U Maryland.
Cohavit Gil
Intern, Summer 2013, 2015.
Worked on thin membrane characterization using AFM, ellipsometry, and contact angle measurements.
Current: Undergraduate student, UMass Amherst.
Alec Mitkov
Intern, Summer 2015. Designed nanopore fluidic cell using CAD software.
Current: Senior, Sharon High School.
Dr. Andrey Ivankin
Postdoctoral Associate, 2012 - 2014.
Current position: Mirkin Lab, Northwestern U. Fluent in instrumental design and software interface design (LabVIEW, Arduino), multi-project leadership and development, biochemical assay development, and other skills.
Martin Langecker
Visiting student
Current: Ph.D. student in physics, TU Munich (Simmel Lab). Built various apparati, LabVIEW/electronics guru, and developed various types of new nanopore-based experiments.
Lauren Moore
Undergraduate co-op researcher, 2011 - 2012
Helped with setting up lab, used AFM to investigate self-assembly of peptides on various surfaces.
Current: Ph.D. student in neuroscience, University of Michigan
Igue Moroke
Undergraduate researcher, 2013
Purified DNA constructs using gel electrophoresis and other tools.
Current: Medical Student, University of Glasgow, Scotland
Dr. Mirela Mustata
Postdoctoral Associate, 2011 - 2013
AFM guru, expert on amyloid peptides and biological AFM.
Current: Lecturer, Simmons College
Carolyn Shasha
Undergraduate researcher, summers of 2013 and 2014
Measured biologically relevant viral RNA structures using nanopores.
Current: Ph.D. student in physics, University of Washington. NSF Graduate Fellow!
Dan Stoloff
Ph.D. candidate, 2012 - 2013
Used very small nanopores to probe various biomolecules and their shape.
Current: US Department of Labor
Mike Toscano
Undergraduate researcher
Developed asymmetric PCR protocols, performed nanopore experiments, 2013-2014
Current: NYIT College of Medicine, NY
Ingy Jabri
Undergraduate researcher
Performed biochemical assays, 2013
Current: Intern, Neurology department, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Lukas Voortman
Helped with setting up lab
Performed biochemical assays, 2011-2012. Current: Intern, Moderna Theraputics