I am an MD-PhD student from Innsbruck, Austria. After a summer rotation in 2018, I rejoined the Khurana lab as PhD student upon completion of my MD degree at Medical University Innsbruck in late 2019. My research focuses on utilizing novel neuronal and glial stem-cell derived models of a-synucleinopathy to study the biological consequences of protein aggregation pathologies, validating potential biomarkers and investigating mechanisms of neuroinflammation in Multiple System Atrophy. My work is supported by a MAX Kade Fellowship, an MSA Coalition seed grant, a Ken Griffin Award from the Michael J. Fox Foundation, an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) grant and an NIH R01. Outside of the lab, I enjoy weightlifting, combat sports, and playing guitar.

I am a physician-scientist studying α-synuclein misfolding in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders (synucleinopathies). I joined Khurana lab in August 2022 after completing my training in Russia (Sechenov University, Moscow, MD, 2014) and Germany (MSc, Dr. med./Neurology residency, University Clinic Würzburg). During this time, I established a diagnostic test (seed amplification assay) that allows detection of minute amounts of pathological α-synuclein in the skin and olfactory epithelium through the amplification of its fibrillar form. While studying α-synuclein aggregation in vitro, I became appreciative of the heterogeneity of the fibrils generated from samples of different synucleinopathy patients, e.g. Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy. Now in Khurana lab, I aim to understand to what extent the intrinsic property of α-synuclein is responsible for the different cellular pathologies in synucleinopathies, which could underly the differences in the disease phenotypes. To solve this question, I will introduce α-synuclein fibrils from patients suffering from different synucleinopathies into stem-cell-derived brain cells, creating cellular models that closely reflect human disease. By systematically analyzing the effects of different α-synuclein fibrils in brain cells, I hope to learn how the α-synuclein-associated pathology may differ among synucleinopathies and, in the future years, decipher the exact underlying mechanisms. My work is supported by the APDA postdoctoral fellowship. When not in the lab, I love spending time with my husband and our cat Billi, practicing yoga, jogging along the Charles River, and reading contemporary fiction.

I defended my PhD at the Vrije Unniverisity in Amsterdam. I joined the Khurana Lab in late 2019 to co-lead translational research using human stem cell models as developmental platforms for gene and neuroimmune therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. In collaboration with the Yu lab at BCH we develop and put efforts to de-risk ASO gene altering therapies for rare neurodegenerative genetic disorders. In parrallel, in collaboration with the Cox and the Weiner labs, ARCND, I study the impact of microbiome on neuroinflammation and PD development. These projects are supported by the CureDRPLA foundation and NIH R21 grant. I am an inaugural BWH Silva Ataxia Foundation fellow. When off the bench or my computer, I go hiking with my kids, or we go to see some animals. We love to travel and our kids very much enjoy ‘going to vacation’. When analyzing data, I focus with the aid of loud deep techno music, something i discovered while living in Amsterdam.

I am a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I received a BS in Neurobiology and Genetics & Genomics, as well as a certificate in Computer Sciences. In August of 2022, I joined the Khurana lab, where I explore computational and genomics questions in Parkinson’s disease, especially those surrounding patient stratification. My work in the lab is supported by an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s grant award. My projects have included quality control of a large genomics data set and analysis of scRNA-seq data. When I am not in the lab, I enjoy bicycling, hiking, and playing with my cat.

I am a movement disorders neurologist with a focus in neurogenetics, spanning from clinical phenotyping to variant analysis in undiagnosed patients. My interests always bring me back to the clinic, so I have a budding career in precision medicine trials. More recently, I have been a remote member of the Khurana team. You can find me hanging around a Zoom room somewhere. If my camera is shut off that means I am troubleshooting something with my kids, but I promise I will be right back! In the Khurana lab, I was awarded an inaugural Sudarsky Scholarship to initiate the BWH Movement Disorders Genetics clinic. 

I completed my MD degree at Universidad del Rosario in Bogota, Colombia. I then joined the Khurana Lab in October 2022 to work in clinical and translational research. My main project is building a cohort of deeply-phenotyped patients with neurodegenerative movement disorders aiming to de-risk experimental therapies and pursue targeted “N-of-few” clinical trials. When I am not at the lab or the clinic, you will find me reading or trying a new recipe. I am also a big soccer and basketball fan.

I recently graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience and a minor in Data Science. I joined the Khurana Lab in January of 2023 as a research assistant, and I am currently utilizing iPSC-derived neurons to develop a panel of neuronal assays. Aside from studying neurodegenerative disease, I enjoy hiking, concerts, and basketball. 

I obtained a PhD in biology from the University of Luxembourg. My research focuses on implementing image analysis tools and Mitochondria, ER and Lysosome based cell biology assays to characterize the effect of pesticides on calcium homeostasis using iPSC derived models of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), in a project sponsored by the department of defense (DoD). I have a strong interest in the development of iPSC derived 3D cellular models of PD in microfluidic devises. In my free time, I enjoy jogging and running around Boston. 

I am a molecular biologist. I received my Bachelor degree from Middle East Technical University in Turkey and MSc degree in Heidelberg University in Germany. I received my PhD at EMBL(Heidelberg) and Max Planck Institute in Freiburg. In 2014 I joined Susan Lindquist’s lab and in 2017, I joined Vikram Khurana’s Lab. My current interest is understanding the role of Processing Bodies in synucleinopathies. I am also interested in developing high throughput technologies for forward genetic screens. I have been supported in the Khurana lab by an R21 from the NIH, an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s grant, a BWH PD Innovation Award and a Sudarsky Scholars award from the BWH Movement Division. I am a past Human FrontierScience Program fellow. 

I received my PhD from Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. In the Khurana lab I work on developing human iPSC-derived neuron models of synucleinopathies. My work has been supported in part by APDA, AAN, and PhRMA Foundation, in addition to an NIH R01 award and supplement. Outside of the lab I enjoy spending time with my family, exploring my neighborhood, and trying new recipes.

I am a movement disorders neurologist and Instructor in Neurology. I completed my MD/PhD at Tufts University and my neurology residency and movement disorders fellowship at BWH and MGH. In a project initiated during post doctoral training in Lee Rubin’s lab at Harvard, I am using dopamine neurons made from the iPSCs of Parkinson’s Disease patients to better understand how gene/environment interactions influence disease pathogenesis and inform new treatment options. My work is supported in part by a K08 award from NIEHS and by two DOD grants to the Khurana and Ritz lab to study the effects of pesticides on PD-relevant cell types. I have also been supported by a 2022 PD Innovation Award from the BWH Movement Division. When I’m not in the lab, I am enjoying time with my wife, trying to get my daughters to ballet class on time, and keeping up with the family’s energentic golden retriever.

I graduated from Cornell university with a BS in biomedical engineering in 2022, and joined the Khurana lab the summer after as a technical research assistant. In the lab, I am working on developing efficient and high throughput neuronal assays. This project is mainly supported by an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) grant. Outside of the lab, I enjoy rock climbing and online games.

I am a postdoctoral research fellow with a joint appointment between Sunyaev  and Khurana labs at HMS and BWH. I obtained my PhD in Computer Science from MIT under the supervision of Prof. Bonnie Berger. My research focuses on developing computational and statistical models for the interpretation of the genetic foundation of complex human diseases. My current projects include network-based rare variant analysis, patient stratification, and biomarker discovery for Lewy body pathologies. I have a keen interest in music and I enjoy travelling and reading. I am a 2022 BWH Movement Division Sudarsky Scholar and my work has also been supported by the NIH and Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative. 

I joined Khurana lab sin 2019 as a postdoctoral research fellow. I received my MD from Southern Medical University, China, followed by my PhD training at Fudan University, China and Johns Hopkins University. My long-term interest is human iPSC modeling of psychiatric and neurological diseases. My current focus is functional genomics, more specifically, using hiPSC and CRISPR screening tools to study genetic interactions of synucleinopathies. My work is supported by a T32 training grant to Harvard Medical School as well as an Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) grant. In my free time, I like to read novels, watch foodie and pet short videos.

I received my BSc in Neurobiology from the Jagiellonian University in Cracow and I am currently doing my Master’s in Neurosciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I joined the Lab in February 2022 to conduct research for my master’s thesis dedicated to the development of patient-specific stem cell models assesing safety and efficacy of anisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy for DRPLA. I am working closely with Asia Korecka and my work is being supported by the CureDRPLA Foundation. Outside the lab I enjoy hiking, exploring New England and watching cinema classics.

I received my BS in Kinesiology with a minor in Neuroscience from Gordon College in 2019, and I will be starting medical school during the summer of 2023. I have been working in the Khurana lab since September 2020, where my main focus has been developing a clinical trial infrastructure in the lab. Currently, my main project involves triaging deeply phenotyped neurodegenerative movement disorders patients toward therapeautic interventions through an “N-of-few” approach. In my free time, I enjoy exploring new places with friends and spending time with my two dogs.

I graduated from Boston University with a BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. I joined the Khurana lab in Summer of 2021 as an inagural Program in Neuroscience Post-Baccalaureate Scholar (PiNBac) where I’ve been working closely with Erinc to understand the role of Processing Bodies in synucleinopathies. Outside of the lab I enjoy watching and playing sports and eating good food. I am also committed to increasing the participation of historically underrepresented groups in STEM. Feel free to reach out for advice with navigating an academic career or life in Boston!

I am currently a student at MCPHS University. I am graduating in 2023 with a Pre-med Undergrad degree and plan to attend Medical School. I joined Khurana’s lab in October 2021 and have been working closely with Isabel Lam in developing human iPSC-derived neuron models of synucleinopathies. Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling and exploring new places.

Currently, I am a student enrolled at MCPHS University and I am set to graduate in 2024 with an undergraduate degree in Pre-med. After completing my undergraduate degree, I intend to attend Medical School. Since October 2022, I have been a member of Khurana’s research lab and have been working alongside Isabel Lam to develop neuron models of synucleinopathies using human iPSCs. When not in the lab, I enjoy participating in competitive swimming and cycling as my hobbies.

I am a recent M. Sc. graduate in Life Sciences Engineering from EPFL, Lausanne (Switzerland) with a specialisation in Neurosciences and Neuroengineering. I joined the Khurana Lab early 2022 to conduct my master’s thesis, and worked with Asia Korecka to study the impact of microbiome on neuro-immune processes in PD using a mouse model of the disease and stem-cell derived microglia. Currently, I am working with Alain Ndayisaba on projects focusing on studying neuroinflammatory mechanisms in MSA and biomarker validation for a-synucleinopathies using neuronal and glial stem-cell derived models. This work is supported by the MSA Coalition. Outside of the lab, I enjoy practicing ballet, baking and hiking.