Hawa Racine Thiam, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and of Microbiology & Immunology

Sarafan ChEM-H Institute Scholar

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator

Email: hrthiam@stanford.edu

Hawa is a physicist by training who got hooked to biology by the nucleus and is fascinated by extreme cell behaviors. Before starting a nucleus-centered (or actually any science-related) conversation with her, make sure to have at least an hour to spare. 

Brandon Seale, B.S.

Administrative Associate III
E-mail: bseale@stanford.edu

Brandon Seale first joined Stanford in 2019 in the Stanford School of Engineering, where he was a rotating admin and gained a wide variety of experience supporting labs in various departments within the School of Engineering. He has now found his home in the Bioengineering Department. He is a foodie and loves to travel.

Manasi Sawant, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

SoM Dean's Postdoctoral Fellow

Manasi earned her Ph.D. from Institute Pasteur of Lille, France working on the molecular mechanisms of intestinal parasite infections. She is currently working on the mechanisms of chromatin reorganization during NETosis. As a newbie to the bay area, she likes to explore the hike trails of sunny California.

Minwoo Kang, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

SoM Dean's Postdoctoral Fellow

Minwoo is trained as a mechanical engineer focusing on cell mechanics and Mechanobiology during his PhD program. He is currently working on the mechanisms of nuclear remodeling during NETosis. He likes to play with (or tease) his cat, Finn.

Aidan Cabral, B.S. 

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering

Stanford Graduate Fellow

Aidan is interested in the mechanisms of plasma membrane remodeling during NETosis. Being from southern California, he enjoys trips out to the beach and attempts to surf.

Allen Yesin, B.S. 

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering

Allen is interested in the impact of extracellular forces on neutrophil functions including NETosis. He is originally from San Francisco, and did his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego. When not in the lab, he loves spending time in nature and exploring new foods.

Alexander Shih, B.S. 

Masters Student, Bioengineering

Alexander earned his B.S. from Georgia Tech in Mechanical Engineering and has since become fascinated by the world of biology. He is interested in immune cell engineering as an approach to disease therapeutics. He is currently working on investigating the role of histones in chromatin reorganization in NETosis. For fun, he likes to play violin and enjoy nature.

Paul Täufer, B.S. 

Visiting Student Researcher,

Supported by BaCateC
Masters Student, Biophysics

Paul earned his bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Augsburg, Germany, and is the first Graduate Visiting Student Researcher hosted by the Thiam Lab. His work focuses on investigating how immune cell membrane fluidity influences membrane rupture during neutrophil extracellular trap release. When he’s not in the lab, Paul enjoys staying active through running and swimming, as well as exploring California’s diverse nature and the beautiful Stanford campus.

Enola Lumineau, B. S.

Visiting Student Researcher

Supported by the France-Stanford Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.
Masters Student, Health Sciences

Enola is a master’s student at Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France, with a special interest in cancer immunology and the biomechanical regulation of immune cell functions. She focuses on nuclear envelope remodeling during NETosis, using high-resolution microscopy techniques such as expansion microscopy. When not in the lab, she’s likely exploring one of California’s stunning national parks.

Maria Del Rio, B.S.

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Biology (Winter 2024)

Current position: Graduate student, Stanford Biology

Maria earned her B.S. from the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Biology and Mathematics. She is interested in obscure cell behaviors, cancer, and bioinformatics. When not in the lab, she enjoys exploring national parks, visiting cafés, attending music concerts, and learning new languages.

Shay Nair Sharma

Undergraduate Researcher (2023 - 2024)

Current position: TBD

Shay (B.S. ‘25) is majoring in Human Biology. He is interested in space medicine and leads the Stanford Student Space Initiative Biology Team. His research focuses on the impact of simulated microgravity on immune cells. In his spare time, Shay enjoys calligraphy, Taekwondo, crocheting, and music composition using natural wildlife sounds.

Andre Gu, B.S. 

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (Fall 2024)

Current position: Graduate student, Stanford Bioengineering 

Andre is interested in reconstituting NETosis in other cells to predict innate immunity. He is originally from the Bay Area and studied chemical engineering and music at Northwestern. Andre's side quests include learning jazz, bouldering, and training for triathlons.

Regina Sanchez Flores, B.S.

Life Science Research Professional (2023 - 2024)

Current position: Graduate student, Stanford Bioengineering.

Regina is a biotech engineer with research experience in developmental and translational immunology, disease modeling, biomaterials, and 3D bioprinting for applications in drug screening, regenerative medicine, and personalized medicine. Regina loves running, in the lab and out.

Issah Samori Abubakari, B.S. 

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (Spring 2024)

Current position: PhD student in Russ Altman’s lab at Stanford 

Issah is interested in exploring questions at the intersection of infectious diseases and computational sciences. Outside the lab, he likes going up to SF, trying new food places, and also running 

 Anru Tian, B.S.  

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (Spring 2024)

Current position: PhD student in Mike Jewitt’s lab at Stanford

Anru is a PhD student in the Bioengineering Department interested in bottom-up synthetic biology with respect to biotherapeutics. She earned her B.S. in Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and enjoys outdoor activities and soaking in the sun in her new home in California!

Kent Kotaka, M.S.  

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Biophysics (Spring 2024)

Current position: PhD student in KC Huang and Justin Sonnenberg labs at Stanford

Kent is interested in everything microbiome. He took a detour from the microbiome during his rotation in the lab and investigated the impact of nuclear envelope composition on NETosis. Kent loves running, plotting jokes and can crack his left ankle indefinitely. Kent is now a PhD student in KC Huang and Justin Sonnenburg labs

Ezra Haddad, M.S

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (2023 - 2024)

Current position: TBD

Ezra is interested in the dynamics of immune cell adaptation to mechanical stimuli, crucial for understanding pathogen defense mechanisms and developing targeted immunotherapies. Outside the lab, Ezra finds balance in baking and hiking, and stays connected to his roots by FaceTiming his cat back home.

Rocky An, B.S. 

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (Winter 2024)

Current position: PhD student in Matthias Garten’s lab at Stanford 

Rocky is fascinated by cellular force-sensing to better understand inflammation, and the origins of intercellular/multicellular information flow. Outside of the lab, Rocky likes composing and playing guitar music.

Neelanjan Akuli, M.S.

Rotating Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering (Summer 2023)

Current position: PhD candidate in Jenny Suckale lab at Stanford

Neelanjan is a Mechanical engineering graduate student. He worked in the lab on single cell NETosis. 

Zoe Brickley, B.S. 

Undergraduate Researcher (2022 - 2023)

Current position: Majoring in Computer Science

Zoe is an intended Bioengineering major interested in researching immune responses and viral infection to develop more effective treatments for HIV and cancer. 

Emilie Kono, B.S. 

Graduate Student Researcher, Bioengineering (2022 - 2023)

Current position: Graduate student, UCSF-Berkeley Bioengineering

Emilie is a Bioengineer (B.S. '22; M.S. '23) and is currently a PhD student at Berkeley. During her time in the lab, she worked on computational analysis of nuclear volume changes during NETosis. Emilie started in the lab before our first order was in; this takes courage!