TEAM

Check out our group photos here.

Brandon J. DeKosky

Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, MIT Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Career Development Chair Core Member, The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Kansas
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Postdoc, Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, NIH Main Campus, Bethesda, MD

I really enjoy the environment for immunology and biotech research here at Ragon, MIT, and Cambridge, there are so many incredibly talented people to work with and learn from! Outside of the lab I enjoy swimming, soccer, playing jazz piano, and exploring live music around Cambridge and Boston.

Antibodies Computational immunology Drug discovery High-throughput screening Infectious diseases Next-generation sequencing Protein engineering Single-cell analysis T cell receptors

Michael Akinyemi

Undergraduate Researcher

UCF Department of Biomedical Sciences
MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

Associate of Arts (A.A.) Degree, Tallahassee Community College, 2022

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of harnessing biological systems to create innovative research tools and have enjoyed having the opportunity to take part in it firsthand thanks to the MIT Summer Research Program. Outside of the lab I love to ride my bike and dabble in game development.

Antibodies Autoimmune Disorders Biotechnology CRISPR Immunology

Magdalena A. Berkowska

Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Fellow

Department of Medical Microbiology, Utrecht University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

M.Sc. Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Cracow, Poland
Ph.D., Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

My research interests focus on phenotypical and molecular characterization of adaptive immune cells, mostly B cells, their reactivity and responses towards infection and vaccination. In my current project I investigate how B cells respond towards E. coli and I explore the potential of yeast display technology in discovering therapeutic anti-bacterial antibodies.

Antibodies B cells B-cell receptor Bacterial Infections Flow Cytometry Single-cell analysis Vaccination

Evan Bhagat

Research Technician

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University

I am interested in antibody discovery/engineering, biotechnology, and immunology related research. Outside of the lab, I enjoy hiking and exploring Boston.

Alzheimer's/Neurodegenerative Disease Research Antibodies Immunology

Jihwan Chun

Postdoctoral Fellow

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Biological Sciences, KAIST, South Korea, 2014
Ph.D., Food Science and Biotechnology, SNU, South Korea, 2020

I am working on antibody engineering by integrating molecular approaches and yeast display technique to generate and screen highly potent antibodies to eradicate malaria. I have a strong background in microbiology, especially bacteriophages and pathogenic bacteria. Outside the lab, I love to hang out with my wife and friends, try new recipes, indulge in craft beers/wines/coffees, and go swimming.

Antibody engineering Malaria Molecular biology Yeast display

Evalynn W. Ellison

Undergraduate Researcher

UMBC Department of Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering
MIT Deparment of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering – Biotechnology Track, UMBC, 2025

I find the questions and wide interdisciplinary research being done in the biotech field very fulfilling. Also, I feel so lucky to get to work and learn from diverse groups of people working on global problems. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, movies, TV shows, games, and hanging out with my family.

Computational immunology

Ahmed Fahad

Postdoctoral Fellow

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.Sc., Pharmacy, University of Al-Mustansiriyah, Baghdad
M.S., Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, OH
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, KS

I am interested in integrating single-cell sequencing with Bioinformatics to profile human adaptive immune repertoire, to establish a new pipeline for immune monitoring, and to discover new immune receptors for development of new therapies. Outside of work, I enjoy road cycling, river-bank walking, reading, and love to hang out with my family.

Antibodies Antibody and T cell repertoire sequencing Bioinformatics Biotechnology Mammalian display Molecular immunology NGS data analysis Protein engineering Single-cell sequencing T cell receptors

Camila Franca

Postdoctoral Fellow

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
MIT

Bachelor of Biomedicine, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil
M.Sc., Biotechnology, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and Centro de Pesquisas Aggeu Magalhães/FIOCRUZ, Brazil
Ph.D., Immunology and Epidemiology, University of Melbourne and Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia
Previous Postdocs: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, US

My research is focused on understanding the development and targets of humoral immunity against acute and chronic diseases, and how this information can be used to inform the design of novel vaccines and other therapeutic interventions.

Antibody repertoire Malaria therapeutics Serology Vaccines

Aimee Gleason

Research Co-op

Rochester Institute of Technology
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2024

I have loved my experience working in the DeKosky Lab at the Ragon Institute! I am looking forward to continuing research in immunology. Outside of the lab, I love to dance, bake, and spend time with my family. I am also a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life.

High-throughput screening T cell receptors

Matias Gutiérrez-González

Postdoctoral Fellow

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

Pharmacist, Ph.D. in Pharmacology, University of Chile

I received my Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of Chile. Since my Ph.D. and postdoctoral research, I have been interested in studying antibody responses and developing new tools for their study. Outside of the lab, I like to run on the Esplanade and discover new restaurants around Boston and Cambridge.

Antibody repertoire analysis High-throughput screening Microfluidics

Blythe Irwin

Ph.D. Student

MIT Department of Biological Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Bioengineering, University of Washington
Ph.D., Biological Engineering, MIT, 2022-present

I am excited to advance the field of immunotherapeutics through T cell receptor repertoire characterization. My research involves optimizing methods for TCR screening, with a focus on TCRs against cancer antigens. In my free time, I enjoy running, lifting, sailing, and writing.

Biotechnology Cancer therapeutics High-throughput screening Immunology T cell receptors

Oscar Jimenez

Undergraduate Student

University of Massachusetts Lowell
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Biology – Biotechnology Concentration, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 2024

I am a senior at UMass Lowell majoring in biology with a concentration in biotechnology. I have a strong passion for conducting research and learning new lab techniques. Outside of the lab I love bike riding, spending time with family and friends, and trying new foods.

Antibody screening Malaria therapeutics Yeast display

Shuyan (Shawn) Jin

Ph.D. Graduate Student

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT)
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2021-present

I am a current graduate student at MIT with interests in antibody discovery and protein engineering. Fun fact – I am often the late night genie that fills the stock for fellow researchers for their daytime experiments.

Antibodies Biochemical engineering Chemical engineering Infectious diseases

Shelbe Johnson

Ph.D. Student

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2022-present

I am passionate about developing and using new technologies to improve human health across the globe. Outside of the lab, I enjoy working out, watching reality TV shows, and spending time with my family and friends!

Antibodies High-throughput screening Microfluidics

Gene Lee

Ph.D. Student

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, and Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2022-present

I’m interested in antibody and T-cell receptor discovery with applications in cancer treatments, both in the computational and experimental space. I love hiking, crafting (currently on a crocheting bender), working out, and occasionally playing video games.

Bioinformatics Cancer Research Machine Learning T cell receptors

Sunwoo Lee

Ph.D. Graduate Student

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, South Korea
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2022-present

I am currently a Ph.D. student at MIT majoring in Chemical Engineering. My research centers on antibody repertoire sequencing from single cells and yeast display for investigating the diversity and functionality of antibodies. My ultimate goal is to create therapeutic antibodies and contribute to advancements in healthcare through my research. Outside the lab, I enjoy swimming, playing badminton, and skiing.

Antibody repertoire analysis High-throughput sequencing Single-cell analysis Yeast display

Zixuan (Zi) Liu

Undergraduate Student

MIT Department of Biological Engineering
MIT Department of Biology
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Biological Engineering, MIT, 2025

I’m currently interested in the intersection between immunology/immuno-engineering and oncology, and am excited to help develop new methods for T cell analysis. Outside of lab, I like to watch dramas and go on walks along the Charles.

High-throughput screening Single-cell analysis T cell receptors

Emily Loose

Research Technician

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Biochemistry, University of Rochester, 2022

I am interested in the discovery of new antibody drugs and enhancing vaccine efficacy, with a current focus on improved cell line development. Outside of the lab, I am an avid reader, flute player, and video game enthusiast.

Antibody discovery Cell line development

Anurag Ramsuman Mishra

Postdoctoral Fellow, Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellow

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S.-M.S., Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India
Ph.D., Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore, India

I received my PhD in Virology and Viral immunology from IIT Indore, India. Science my Ph.D. I am very interested in working with cutting edge high throughput technologies for therapeutic interventions. The Dekosky immune engineering lab provides the prefect opportunity and environment to work on cutting age technological tool for translational biology and study immune response. Currently, my research focuses on the high throughput TCR discovery against the cancer. Outside of lab, I like to cook new dishes for my family and friends. I also like to roam around Cambridge exploring Boston.

High throughput technology Immunotherapy Virology

Matheus Oliveira de Souza

Postdoctoral Fellow

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
KU, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
MIT

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, 2016
M.S., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU, 2020
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU, 2023

My research focuses on the application of novel technologies, such as yeast display and next generation sequencing, for understanding human antibody responses, and for the discovery of new drugs. When not in the lab, I am usually involved with youth mentorship programs, running along the Charles River, singing, dancing, or watching a Flamengo match.

Biotechnology Drug discovery Infectious diseases Monoclonal antibodies Protein engineering Yeast display

Xiaoli Pan

Ph.D. Candidate

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
MIT
The University of Kansas

Bachelor of Medicine, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Southern Medical University, China
M.S., Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, USC
Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Chemistry, KU, 2018-present

My projects mainly focus on mining the natively paired antibody repertoires for antibody discovery and large-scale molecular characterization of adaptive immunity. Outside of the lab, I enjoy cooking, exploring good food, and traveling.

Antibody discovery Single-cell sequencing Yeast display

Azady Pirhanov

Research Fellow

MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard

B.S., Chemical Engineering, KAIST B.S., Biology, KAIST
Ph.D., Biomedical Engineering, The University of Connecticut

I am really interested in technology development and immunology and loving my time here in Cambridge. When not in the lab, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and read everything non-science and non-fiction. One day I also hope to get back to playing volleyball.

Immunology Protein engineering Synthetic biology Technology Development

Penny Timms

Research Fellow

The Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard
MIT

Research Technician

Undergraduate Student

Biochemistry

The University of Kansas

Isaac Nevarez-Sanchez, BS

Undergraduate Students

Graduate PREP rotation

The University of Kansas

Mattison Sills, BS

The Ragon Institute

Bob Seder, MD

Vaccine Research Center

NIAID

Boris Juelg

The Ragon Institute

Brad Hyman, MD, PhD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Bruce Walker, MD

The Ragon Institute

Bryan Bryson, PhD

MIT

The Ragon Institute

Cory Berkland, PhD

The University of Kansas

Darrell Irvine, PhD

MIT

David Ho, MD

Columbia University

David Price, PhD

Cardiff University

Facundo Batista, PhD

The Ragon Institute

Hank Balfour, MD

University of Minnesota

Laird Forrest, PhD

The University of Kansas

Larry Shapiro, PhD

Columbia University

Larry Stern, PhD

University of Massachusetts Medical School

Leda Castilho, Ph.D.

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Marie Pancera, Ph.D.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Michael Birnbaum, PhD

MIT

Michael Yin, MD

Columbia University

Nicole Doria-Rose

Vaccine Research Center

NIAID

Peggy Kendall, MD

Washington University-St. Louis

Peter Kwong, PhD

Vaccine Research Center

NIAID

Ravid Straussman, MD, PhD

Weizmann Institute

Sai Reddy, PhD

ETH-Zurich

Scott Huang, PhD

Kansas State University

Ted Pierson, PhD

NIAID

Tim Whitehead, PhD

University of Colorado-Boulder

Current Funding

Previous Funding

Diversity Statement

Our laboratory is committed to ensuring an inclusive, respectful, and caring lab culture that ensures access and participation to all individuals with diverse background, gender, sexual orientation, race, beliefs, and cultures. We believe that scientists around the globe reflect the entire scope and diversity of our population around the world, and that innovative and transformative progress is advanced by a culture of openness, respect, support, and inclusion.

We are dedicated to providing an inclusive environment that provides equitable access to scientific research and the scientific enterprise, fostering a positive community where team members bring their whole selves to work and that encourages and supports both personal and professional growth.

Nuestro laboratorio se compromete a garantizar una cultura inclusiva, respetuosa y solidaria que asegure el acceso y la participación de todas las personas independiende de su género, orientación sexual, raza, creencias y cultura. Creemos que los científicos de todo el mundo reflejan todo el alcance y la diversidad de nuestra población, y que el progreso innovador y transformador es impulsado por una cultura de apertura, respeto, apoyo e inclusión.

Estamos dedicados a proveer un entorno inclusivo que brinde acceso equitativo a la investigación y emprendimiento cientifico, fomentando una comunidad positiva donde los miembros del equipo puedan ser quienes son y que fomenta y apoya el crecimiento personal y profesional.

现今，来自世界各地的科学家们映射出各地人口的整体范围和多样性，其开放、尊重、支持和包容的文化正在潜移默化地推进创新和改革。本实验组致力于营造包容、尊重和体恤的实验室文化，确保所有具有不同背景、性别、性取向、种族、信仰和文化的实验组成员都能获得充分且平等的资源与参与机会。我们致力于培养一个包容的学习氛围，由此打造一个积极的高绩效团队，并为团队所有成员公平提供参与科研以及与相关科研机构合作的机会。通过相互扶持与鼓励，我们确保团队成员能够全身心投入工作，由此促进团队成员个人能力的成长并提高其职业素养。

Nosso laboratório está empenhado a desenvolver e manter uma cultura inclusiva, com respeito mútuo, e onde o acesso e a participação de todos os indivíduos é garantida, independentemente de origem, gênero, orientação sexual, raça, crenças e culturas. Acreditamos que cientistas de diferentes partes do mundo refletem o escopo e a diversidade de suas populações, e que progresso inovativo e transformador é mais bem alcançado quando há uma cultura de respeito, apoio e inclusão.

Estamos dedicados a fornecer um ambiente inclusivo, com acesso equitativo à pesquisa e ao empreendimento científico em geral, promovendo uma comunidade positiva onde todos os membros da equipe podem ser quem são, com incentivo e apoio ao crescimento pessoal e profissional.

يلتزم مختبرنا بضمان ثقافة مختبرية شاملة ومحترمة ورعاية تضمن الوصول والمشاركة لجميع الأفراد بمختلف اطيافهم — ونرحب بتنوع على جميع الاصعدة بما في ذلك الجنس، والتوجه الجنسي والعرق وتنوع المعتقدات والثقافات. نحن نعتقد أن العلماء في جميع أنحاء العالم يعكسون النطاق الكامل لتنوع السكان، وأن الابتكار والتطور يتقدم من خلال ثقافة الانفتاح والاحترام والدعم والاندماج.

نحن ملتزمون بتوفير بيئة شاملة توفر وصولاً عادلاً إلى البحث العلمي والمشاريع العلمية — بما في ذلك تعزيز مجتمع إيجابي حيث يقوم أعضاء الفريق باستخدام كامل قدراتهم في العمل وتشجيع ودعم النمو الشخصي والمهني.

Ở phòng thí nghiệm DeKosky, chúng tôi cam kết một văn hoá làm việc đầy sự tôn trọng và quan tâm, và không cá nhân nào sẽ bị loại ra khỏi đội nghiên cứu. Quyền tiếp cận và tham gia nghiên cứu khoa học của những cá nhân với mọi lý lịch, giới tính, khuynh hướng tình dục, chủng tộc, tính ngưỡng và văn hoá sẽ luôn được đảm bảo. Mỗi nhà khoa học toàn cầu đều phản ánh sự đa dạng và văn hoá khác nhau trên thế giới, và sự đổi mới của khoa học chỉ có thể tiến triển nếu chúng ta tuân theo một văn hoá và cộng đồng cởi mở, luôn tôn trọng, hỗ trợ và thúc đầy sự hoà nhập của mọi người.

Đội thí nghiệm chúng tôi cam kết mang tới một môi trường cởi mở và đảm bảo mọi cá nhân đều có thể tham gia vào nghiên cứu khoa học. Hơn nữa, chúng tôi luôn ưu tiên một cộng đồng lạc quan, nơi mọi thành viên đều có thể cam kết hết mình vào nghiên cứu và được ủng hộ phát triển cả mặt nghề nghiệp lẫn cá nhân.

우리 연구실은 다양한 배경, 성별, 성적 지향, 인종, 신념, 문화를 가진 모든 구성원에게 접근과 참여의 기회를 보장하기 위해 상호간에 존중과 포용, 배려가 있는 연구실 문화를 만드는데 전념하고 있습니다. 우리는 세계 각지의 과학자들이 전 세계 인류의 다양성을 반영한다고 믿으며, 개방과 존중, 지지와 포용의 문화 속에서 혁신과 변혁을 이룰 수 있다고 믿습니다.

우리는 과학 연구 및 산업에 동등한 접근 기회가 제공되고, 팀 구성원들이 업무에 몰두할 수 있는 긍정적인 공동체가 조성되며, 각 구성원의 인간적 및 직업적 성장이 장려되는 포괄적인 환경을 제공하기 위해 최선을 다할 것입니다.

(Special thanks to all the lab members who helped us translate!)

Join Us

We are seeking new team members! Positions are available at the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels. If you think you might be a good fit for the research group and would like to learn more, please e-mail your CV to Dr. DeKosky at the e-mail address below.

dekosky [at] mit [dot] edu