Meet The Team

Principal Investigator

Novalia Pishesha, PhD

Nova is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital and the Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School. She received her B.S. in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley (GO BEAR!) and her PhD in Biological Engineering from MIT. She is particularly excited about applications of immune engineering to combat pathogenic immunity and infectious diseases. Beyond the bench, she loves experimenting in the kitchen and traveling.

novalia.pishesha@childrens.harvard.edu

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PhD Student

Priscilla Faas, MSc

Priscilla is a PhD student at Leiden University Medical Center. Her research focuses on engineering nanobody-based adducts to induce antigen specific tolerance for tackling immune-mediated diseases. She obtained her Master's degree in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease from Radboud University. After work, she likes going horseback riding and hiking.

priscilla.faas@childrens.harvard.edu

PhD Student

Manpreet Meyer, MSc

Manpreet is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry and he is interested in leveraging nanobody technology to target various hematological malignancies. By integrating nanobody technology with diverse chemical approaches, he aims to pioneer innovative therapeutic approaches for blood disorders as his long-term goal. Manpreet earned both his BSc and MSc degrees in Biochemistry from Freie Universität Berlin.

manpreet.meyer@childrens.harvard.edu

Master's Student

Stephanie Scharmann, BSc

Stephanie is a Master’s student in Chemistry of Life at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, where she also obtained her B.Sc in Molecular Life Sciences. In the lab, she utilizes engineered nanobodies to track and modulate antigen specific T-cells in mouse models of autoimmune diseases. Outside the lab, she is a passionate alpinist, spending most of her free time in nature and traveling.

stephanie.scharmann@childrens.harvard.edu

Master's Student

Niklas Woelk, BSc

Niklas is a Master's student in Biochemistry at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he also obtained his Bachelor's degree. Currently, he is working in the lab on developing VHHs targeting various nuclear factors associated with cancer and autoimmune diseases. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing soccer and traveling.

niklas.woelk@childrens.harvard.edu

Undergraduate Student

Han Chung

Han is a first-year student at Harvard College studying Molecular and Cellular Biology and Global Health and Health Policy. In the Pishesha Lab, Han is currently working on engineering nanobodies to target Myasthenia Gravis-specific antibodies. Outside of lab, she enjoys traveling and discovering different places around Boston.

han.chung@childrens.harvard.edu

Undergraduate Student

Ayman Wadud

Ayman is a rising senior at Kenyon College majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in Statistics and Computing. His projects focus on engineering prophylactic nanobodies capable of suppressing several autoimmune liver diseases in a tissue-specific manner and developing machine learning algorithms to predict nanobody-antigen binding. Outside the lab, Ayman is passionate about traveling and is an avid lover of the arts, particularly photography and music!

ayman.wadud@childrens.harvard.edu

The Furry and Feathery Support Team

Post-Dog

Freyja Pishesha-McFarland

PhDog Student

Tyr Pishesha-McFarland

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RA (Research Avian)

Spirity Faas

RA (Research Alpaca)

Jack Daniels

RA (Research Alpaca)

Fireball

RA (Research Alpaca)

Mac

Pishesha Lab Alumni

1. Lauren Hoorens van Heyningen (10/2023-03/2024, Utrecht University, Master's student), next position: Biological Engineering PhD at MIT

Pre-2024 Trainees

18. Nanette Becht (01/2023 – 12/2023, Utrecht University, Master's student), next position: PhD at Vienna IMP

17. Francisca Faber (01/2023 – 08/2023, Utrecht University, Master's student), next position:

16. Mirna Reljić (11/2022 - 10/2022, Radbound University, Master's student), next position: PhD at Leiden University

15. Gabriela Erin Mariangel (Summer 2023, MIT, undergraduate), next position: MIT undergraduate

14. Manon Bouzereau (09/2022 – 05/2023, EPFL, Master's student), next position: PhD at University of Zurich

13. Isabelle Koehler (10/2021 – 10/2022, Radbound University, Master's student), next position:

12. Renate van den Doel (03/2021 – 02/2022, Leiden University, undergraduate), next position: PhD at NYU

11. Hailey Heston (10/2020 – 04/2022, BCH research assistant), next position: Research Associate at Adimab

10. Robine Janssen (01/2020 – 10/2020, Radbound University, Master's student), next position: PhD at Utrecht

9. Weiyi Ma (06/2019 – 02/2020, Peking University, undergraduate), next position: Chemical Biology PhD at HMS

8. Liyan Smeding (01/2019 – 12/2019, Radbound University, Master's student), next position: BioE PhD at EPFL

7.Cydney Wong (09/2018 – 05/2020, MIT, undergraduate), next position: BME PhD at Georgia Tech

6. William B. Pinney (07/2017 – 12/2020, MIT, undergraduate), current position: Biological Engineering PhD at MIT

5. Yotaro Sueoka (01/2017 – 05/2018, MIT undergraduate), next position: Neuroscience PhD at Johns Hopkins

4.Valentino Sudaryo, (01/2016 – 05/2019, MIT undergraduate), next position: Immunology PhD at Stanford

3. Harun R. Sugito (01/2016 – 05/2018, MIT undergraduate), next position: MD at Dartmouth

2. Marsha C. Wibowo, (06/2014 – 05/2016, MIT undergraduate), next position: BBS PhD at HMS

1. Rhogerry Deshycka (01/2014 – 06/2018, MIT undergraduate); next position: Biomedical Sciences PhD at UCSF

Join Us!

The Pishesha Lab is always on the lookout for enthusiastic and dedicated researchers. At the moment, we are looking to hire a postdoctoral fellow, several Master's students, and a research assistant/lab manager who demonstrate exceptional skill, drive, and a collaborative mindset. Interested candidates are encouraged to email Nova with their CVs and the contact information for their 2-3 references.