Hawa Racine Thiam, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Bioengineering and of Microbiology & Immunology

Sarafan ChEM-H Institute Scholar

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 earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He first joined Stanford in 2019 in the School of Engineering Dean's Office, where he served as a rotating administrator and gained a wide variety of experience supporting labs across various departments within the School of Engineering. He has now found his home in the Bioengineering Department. Outside of work, Brandon is a foodie who 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.

Aidan Cabral, M.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.

Minwoo Kang, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

SoM Dean's Postdoctoral Fellow
CRI Irvington 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.

Allen Yesin, M.S. 

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering

Stanford NIH T32 Biotechnology Training Program

Allen earned his B.S. in Bioengineering-Biotechnology at UC San Diego. He is interested in understanding the impact of confinement on neutrophil migration and NETosis. When not in the lab, he loves spending time in nature and exploring new foods.

Timothy Precord, PhD.

Postdoctoral Researcher (joint with the Dassama Lab)

NIAID/NIH F32 Postdoctoral Fellow

Tim earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, studying natural product biosynthesis. As part of collaborative work between the Thiam and Dassama labs, he is currently studying targeted protein degradation in neutrophils. In his free time, he enjoys playing ice hockey and reading classical Latin. 

Kiwon Park, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Kiwon earned her Ph.D. from Seoul National University, where she studied the molecular mechanisms and role of R-loops in inflammatory diseases and HIV-1 infection. She is now investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of chromatin during NETosis at high resolution. While she exercises her mind in the lab, outside of it, Kiwon likes to stay active-running, swimming, or deadlifting. In fact, she decided on Stanford for its great science and its great campus pool.

Kennedy Outlaw, B. S.

Ph.D. Student, Molecular and Cellular Physiology (Co-mentored with Dr. Ruth Huttenhain) 

Stanford NIGMS T32 Cell and Molecular Biology Training Program

Kennedy completed majors in chemistry and physics at Purdue University where she became interested in how external cues are translated into physiological responses. She is excited to explore complex signaling events and decision making during NETosis. Outside of lab, Kennedy enjoys trying new food, reading outside, and going on weekend adventures!

Andre Gu, B.S. 

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering 

Andre is interested in ​how the organization of chromatin as a polymer within the nucleus directly influences nuclear mechanics and immune cell functions. Originally from the Bay Area, he studied chemical engineering and music at Northwestern University before being drawn to cellular biophysics at Stanford. Andre’s sidequests include learning jazz, doing triathlons, and mentoring local high school students on science projects.

Jihyun In, B. S. 

PhD Student, Biophysics (Co-mentored with Dr. Andrew Spakowitz)

Jihyun studied Neurobiology and Mathematics-Applied Sciences at UC San Diego before arriving at Stanford. She is now interested in studying how pressure is generated during NETosis. In her free time, Jihyun enjoys crocheting, cooking, and learning new languages!

Madhumitha Suresh, B.S.

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering (Co-mentored with Dr. Rebecca Pinals)

Madhu completed her master's degree in Bioengineering at the Indian Institute of Science, where she discovered her passion for cellular mechanics. She is interested in understanding how alterations in the physicochemical properties of the blood-brain barrier impact neutrophil behaviors in Alzheimer's disease. Outside the lab, she can often be found immersed in just about any fantasy or fiction novel!

Krishna Bhambhani, B.S. 

Ph.D. Student, Bioengineering 

Krishna studied Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He is interested in the mechanisms of vital NETosis and neutrophil deformability modulation in autoimmune conditions. Outside of lab, Krishna likes playing tennis and frisbee and learning geography. 

Côme Rossary, B.S.

Visiting Student Researcher

Masters Student, Computer Science

Côme is a master's student at ISAE-SUPAERO, Toulouse, France, specializing in Computer Science and Machine Learning. His work focuses on developing computer vision models that automatically classify the successive cellular states of NETosis — microvesicle shedding, nuclear envelope rupture, chromatin decompaction, and plasma membrane rupture — to automate the readout of these states and their transitions from microscopy data. When he's not in the lab, Côme can be found surfing along the California coast.

Aichatou Doucoure, B.S. 

Postbac researcher, Stanford Medicine Postbaccalaureate Experience in Research Program

Current Position: Master Student, AIRE program, France 

Aichatou earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from the College of Idaho where she was introduced to research in a cell biology lab, a mechanical engineering & materials science lab, and a medical laboratory. She is excited to further her research skills in the Thiam Lab working on the molecular mechanisms of chromatin reorganization during NETosis. Outside of lab, Aichatou enjoys watching spiritual talks and some senegalese shows, cooking & eating, reading and learning new songs. Also, she loves seclusion! 

Alexander Shih, B.S. 

Masters Student, Bioengineering

Current position: PhD student, Columbia University.

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.

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.

Paul Täufer, B.S. 

Visiting Student Researcher, Supported by BaCateC
Masters Student, Biophysics

Current Position: Stanford Bioengineering graduate program

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.

Maria Del Rio, B.S.

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

Current position: Graduate student in The Altemose Lab at Stanford

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: MD student, Knight-Hennessy Scholar, Stanford Medicine

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.

Regina Sanchez Flores, B.S.

Life Science Research Professional (2023 - 2024)

Current position: Graduate student in Rogelio Hernandez-Lopez' lab at Stanford.

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. 

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!