top of page

ABOUT

pi

William Shih is a Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and a Founding Core Faculty member at Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University

He studied Biochemical Sciences at Harvard as an undergraduate, Biochemistry at Stanford for Ph.D. work with Professor Jim Spudich, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Scripps Research Institute with Professor Jerry Joyce before returning to Harvard as a member of the faculty in 2004.

His research focuses on design of self-assembling biomolecular machines and their diagnostic and therapeutic applications, and has received recognitions from NIH, Blavatnik Institute, Foresight Institute, and ISNSCE. 

William Shih

Principal Investigator

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.17.23 PM.png

Executive Assistant 

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.17.36 PM.png

OUR TEAM

members
Yang Zeng

YANG (CLAIRE) ZENG, M.D., PH.D.

Dr. Zeng earned her M.D. from Xi'an Jiaotong University​ Medical School and her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from Peking Union Medical College & Tsinghua University. She works on DNA-origami-based cancer vaccines.

Screen%2520Shot%25202021-04-04%2520at%25
James MacDonald

Dr. MacDonald earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of California, Berkeley. He works on DNA nanoswitch calipers and crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes.

Bhavik Nathwani

BHAVIK NATHWANI, PH.D.

Dr. Nathwani earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University. He works on DNA-based stepper motors.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.17.43 PM.png
Jie Deng

JIE DENG, PH.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Deng earned his Ph.D. in Macromolecular Chemistry from University of Freiburg. He works on thermal-cycling DNA devices and crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes.

Screen Shot 2021-04-09 at 6.18.38 PM.png

PASCAL LILL, PH.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Lill earned his Ph.D. in Structural Biochemistry from Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology. He works on DNA corralled nanodiscs.

pascal.lill (at) wyss.harvard.edu

Dionis Minev

DIONIS MINEV, PH.D.

Dr. Minev earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University​. He works on crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes.

Screen Shot 2021-05-11 at 3.29.51 PM.png

SUKANYA PUNTHAMBAKER, PH.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Punthambaker earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She works on DNA nanoswitch calipers.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.18.42 PM.png

SUJAY RAY, PH.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Dr. Ray earned his Ph.D. in Physics from Kent State University. He works on DNA nanoswitch calipers.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 8.41.24 PM.png
postdocs
Anastasia Ershova

ANASTASIA ERSHOVA

Graduate Student

Anastasia is a graduate student in the Harvard  Ph.D. Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences. She works on crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes, and crisscross nanoconstruction with algorithmic assembly.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.18.31 PM.png
Luzia Kilwing

LUZIA KILWING

Visiting Graduate Student

Luzia is a graduate student in the

Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Ph.D. Program in Physics. She works on DNA-based stepper motors.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 8.40.53 PM.png
grads

CHRIS WINTERSINGER

Graduate Student

Chris is a graduate student in the Harvard Ph.D. Program in Engineering Sciences. He works on crisscross nanofabrication.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.18.07 PM.png
Olivia Young

OLIVIA YOUNG

Graduate Student

Olivia is a graduate student in the Harvard-MIT Ph.D. Program in Health Sciences and Technology. She works on DNA-origami-based cancer vaccines.  

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.18.38 PM.png
Screen%20Shot%202021-04-04%20at%209.33_e

MEGAN DILLINGHAM

Graduate Student

Harvard Ph.D. Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology. She works on crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.39 PM.png

GOKUL GOWRI

Graduate Rotation Student

Harvard Ph.D. Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology. He works on crisscross nanofabrication with algorithmic assembly.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.35 PM.png

NICK HILGERT

Graduate Rotation Student

Harvard Ph.D. Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology. He works on crisscross detection of nucleic-acid analytes.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.42 PM.png

EDUARDO COREA

Laboratory Research Technician

Eduardo works on production and purification of DNA for lab projects. He recently was admitted to the M.D. Program at Geisel School of Medicine (Fall 2021).

GIORGIA ISINELLI

Visiting Undergraduate Student

Giorgia is an undergraduate student in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technology at University of Catania. She works on DNA-origami-based cancer vaccines.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.08 PM.png

LAUREN KIM

Undergraduate Student

Lauren is an undergraduate at Harvard  College. She works on DNA-origami-based cancer vaccines.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.47 PM.png

RAHUL SUBRAMANIAM

Undergraduate Student

Rahul is an undergraduate student at Harvard College. He works on crisscross nanofabrication.

Screen Shot 2021-04-04 at 6.19.30 PM.png
Anchor 3
undergrads

click to view 

ALUMNI 

bottom of page