Leadership Team
Michelle Tai
Co-President
Michelle is a Ph.D. candidate and Stanford Graduate Fellow in the Bioengineering department. Prior to graduate school, Michelle worked at Genentech in pharmaceutical development on polymer-antibody conjugates for ocular long-acting delivery and at Moderna on mRNA lipid nanoparticle formulations. She received her B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Biology from MIT. In the Fan Yang lab at Stanford, Michelle is developing 3D in vitro models of breast cancer metastasis to tissue-engineered bone. Broadly, she is interested in improving the translation of novel therapeutic modalities to commercial products. She has two cats and enjoys reading, playing board games, and baking bread.
Sarah Jones
Co-President
Sarah is a PhD student, a NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral NRSA fellow, and a National Science Foundation fellow in Stanford’s Chemistry Department. She received a B.A. in chemistry from Pomona College after spending her first two years of undergrad at the University of Portland. Her research interests lie at the intersection of chemistry, biology, and regenerative medicine. In the Fan Yang lab, Sarah is investigating the relationship between the cellular microenvironment, cell behavior, and stem cell differentiation. She also leverages her background in chemistry to design and synthesize dynamic materials for tissue regeneration. She is passionate about translational research and hopes to help bridge the gap between industry and academia. Outside of work, Sarah loves playing soccer, hiking, and hanging out with her dog.
Shriram Chennakesavalu
Communication Chair
Shriram is a PhD candidate and a Center for Molecular Analysis and Design (CMAD) Fellow in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University, working at the intersection of machine learning and molecular biophysics. Shriram’s interest in this intersection was cultivated during his undergraduate years at the University of Chicago, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biological Chemistry and a minor in Computer Science. As a member of the Rotskoff Lab at Stanford, Shriram is currently investigating how machine learning can be used to accelerate discovery in a variety of biological and chemical settings, including prediction of drug-binders to kinase and acceleration of molecular simulations for fundamental biological systems such as cell membranes and proteins. Beyond his graduate work, Shriram is interested in the tech-bio interface and how careful computational approaches can be used to drive scientific innovation. Outside of his research, Shriram enjoys watching movies, trying new restaurants, and exploring San Francisco.
Alan Tung
Career Development Co-Chair
Alan is a Lucille P. Markey Biomedical Research Fellow (SGF) and 3rd year Ph.D. candidate in the cancer biology program at Stanford. Alan grew up in Taiwan before moving to San Diego, where he received a B.S. in molecular biology at UC San Diego and studied mitochondrial homeostasis at the Salk Institute. He is now conducting his thesis research in Jonathan Long’s lab in the Department of Pathology. His research focuses on identifying novel exercise-inducible circulating factors and understanding how they could mediate the benefits of exercise. Outside of the lab, Alan is interested in exploring biotech investment, commercial strategy, and entrepreneurship. Alan is passionate about sports (rooting for the San Diego Padres and Borussia Dortmund), playing tennis, singing, and traveling. You can find him tweeting at @alanshtung
Hudson Horn
Career Development Co-Chair
Hudson Horn is a 3rd year Cancer Biology Ph.D. candidate in Dr. Calvin Kuo’s lab. In Dr. Kuo’s lab, he is leveraging novel organoid technologies to model and study carcinogenesis. He completed his B.S. in molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison where he studied the PI3K pathway in Dr. Richard Anderson’s lab. Outside of the lab, Hudson likes to explore the food scene in the Bay Area and go hiking and snowboarding.
Wesley Suen
Academic Chair
Wesley is an MS student studying Biology and Health Policy at Stanford. Wesley graduated summa cum laude from the University of Chicago, with a degree in Economics. During his undergrad, Wesley worked with two UChicago professors on the commercialization of their scientific ventures and did multiple biotech venture investing internships. His research interests are centered around accelerating the translation of life science discoveries into meaningful healthcare innovations, through better alignment of interests between the private and public sectors. He is passionate about the promise of biotechnology in advancing human health and in bringing more people from different backgrounds into the field. Outside of work, Wesley loves playing basketball, watching soccer, and exploring restaurants.
Delaney Smith
JEDI Chair
Delaney Smith is a Ph.D. student in Biochemistry. She is conducting her thesis research in the group of Dr. Russ Altman, using computational approaches to model drug response. Delaney completed her H.B.S. in Biochemistry/Biophysics and Chemistry Teaching at Oregon State University. As a Fulbright Fellow, she worked in a structural biology laboratory for two years in Ghent, Belgium. As a second-generation immigrant raised in a low SEC household, Delaney is interested in improving access to the biotechnology sector for underrepresented students. Specifically, being raised in a Russian-American household and living in Europe, Delaney is interested in international biotechnology ventures and creating equitable international collaborations within the industry.
Pranay Balijepalli
Pranay is an UK-trained physician currently at Stanford Graduate School of Business studying an MBA. After practicing medicine for 1.5 years, he transitioned to strategy consulting at Boston Consulting Group’s London office where he focused on healthcare strategy and healthcare private equity. Prior to the GSB, he spent a summer at F-Prime Capital as a member of the investment team assessing biotech, healthtech and medtech opportunities. After the GSB, he wants to build a full time career in life sciences investing to accelerate innovation in healthcare and drug development. Outside of work, he is a keen rock climber and is learning to play golf and ski.
Jason Akram
Undergraduate Chair
Jason Akram is an undergraduate at Stanford University studying Computational Neurobiology & Finance. He is deeply passionate about cutting-edge technologies within the biotech industry such as cell and gene therapies. As such, Jason is currently a Research Assistant at the Heilshorn Biomaterials Group studying neural progenitor cell maturation and brain organoid formation within the condition of a 3D hydrogel model constructed of biochemical and biophysical materials. Over the past two summers, Jason Akram gained experience within the biotech industry as a Research Associate at Biotech Value Fund, an Undergraduate Fellow at Longitude Capital, and a Business Development Intern at Kate Therapeutics, a gene therapy company.
Yoo Jin Jung
Board Member, Course TA
Yoo Jin is a PhD candidate and Blavatnik Fellow in the Neurosciences graduate program. Prior to graduate school, she did her postbac at the NIH (NIA, Drug Design and Development Section), conducting preclinical research on novel anti-inflammatory small molecule drugs in various models of neurodegenerative disease. Yoo Jin received her B.S. in Neuroscience and Behavior from the University of Notre Dame, where she also minored in Catholic Social Tradition. In the Andreasson lab at Stanford, Yoo Jin is studying the role of brain-infiltrating T cells in post-stroke dementia. Yoo Jin aspires to discover novel and effective therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Outside of lab, Yoo Jin enjoys gleaning fruit from Stanford fruit trees and reading self-improvement books.
Vincent Liu
Career Development Committee
Vincent is a PhD candidate in the Genetics Department. In the Satpathy Lab, he applies genomics and computer science to explore fundamental questions in human immunology, with the goal of translating what he learns into novel immunotherapies. He believes biotech will go through a phase of exponential growth in the coming decades and has a strong interest in the biotech venture ecosystem. Vincent received his BS in Computer Science and Statistics from Columbia. In addition to science and entrepreneurship, he loves reading/talking about philosophy, politics, or anything related to the dynamic world we live in.
Logan Leak
Communication Committee
Logan Leak is the Gerhard Casper Stanford Graduate Fellow (SGF) and a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the cancer biology program. He grew up in Ohio and received his B.S. in biology from the University of Chicago, where he also completed research pertaining to the targeted delivery of stapled alpha helices to induce cell death in cancer cells. At Stanford, Logan is a member of the Dixon Lab, where he studies a novel non-apoptotic cell death mechanism in the context of cancer. Logan is interested in all areas of biotech and is excited to learn more about the field through his involvement in SBG’s career development committee. Outside of Ph.D. life, Logan enjoys baking, exploring the Bay Area’s food scene, and traveling. Keep up with him on Twitter @looogannn.
Danielle Klinger
Career Development Committee
Danielle is a 2nd year Ph.D. student and a NIH biotechnology trainee in Stanford’s Bioengineering department. Prior to her studies at Stanford, she received her B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Ben-Gurion University, her M.Sc. in Computational Biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and was a research associate at Clalit Research Institute, where she built computational models and analyzed large health care data sets. Her research in Dr. Mark Skylar-Scott’s and Dr. Kristy Red-Horse’s labs focuses on building devices that will improve cardiac organoid systems, miniaturized versions of a developing heart, to make them more biomimetic. Danielle Is passionate about the biotech startup industry in the tissue engineering field. Outside of the lab, she enjoys singing, climbing, and hiking.
Danielle completed her B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Ben-Gurion University, her M.Sc. in Computational Biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and was a research associate at Clalit Research Institute. She is excited about building devices that will improve cardiac organoid systems.
Shreya Kishore
Career Development Committee
Shreya is a Gabilan Research Fellow (SGF) and 3rd year PhD candidate in the chemistry program at Stanford. Shreya grew up in Bangalore, India, before moving to Philadelphia where she received a B.S. in Chemistry at Haverford College and studied marine natural product efflux pump inhibitors in the Whalen lab. Now, in Chaitan Khosla’s lab, she is studying bacterial natural product biosynthesis. Shreya is interested in the intersection of academia and industry and in translating early fundamental research. In addition she is interested in international biotechnology ventures and science policy. Outside of the lab, she loves reading, watching movies, dancing and exploring the bay area.
Nick Phillips
Career Development Committee
Nick is a 2nd year PhD candidate in the Cancer Biology program at Stanford. He is researching mechanisms of resistance to cell therapies in the Alizadeh and Kurtz labs. Prior to the PhD program, Nick completed an MS degree in Biomedical Informatics at Stanford, an MS in Computer Science at Georgia Tech, and a BS in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins. Nick has experience in machine learning and data science roles at GSK, Personalis, and Booz Allen. Outside of work, Nick enjoys hiking, skiing, and basketball.
Vincent Liu
Career Development Committee
Vincent is a PhD candidate in the Genetics Department. In the Satpathy Lab, he applies genomics and computer science to explore fundamental questions in human immunology, with the goal of translating what he learns into novel therapies. Outside of the lab, he enjoys keeping up with the latest trends in biotech dealmaking. Vincent received his BS in Computer Science and Statistics from Columbia. In addition to science and biotech business, he loves olympic weightlifting, talking about philosophy/politics, and taking care of his ever growing houseplant collection.
Steven Wang
Career Development Committee
Steven is a PhD student at Stanford’s Cancer Biology program. Prior to Stanford, he received a B.A. in Biology at Columbia University. Steven is interested in engineering biological systems, spanning from nucleic acids to organoids, for novel applications as therapeutics and scientific tools. Outside of work, Steven is an avid fan of water sports, including and not limited to scuba diving, rowing, surfing, and fishing.
Rachel Gleyzer
Career Development Committee
Rachel Gleyzer is a 3rd year PhD candidate and a National Science Foundation fellow (NSF GFRP) in the Department of Cancer Biology at Stanford. Her research in Prof. Aaron Newman’s lab uses computational approaches to understand cancer heterogeneity and uncover developmental cell states driving tumorigenesis. Prior to starting her PhD, Rachel received a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Chicago and was a Senior Associate at a small life sciences consulting firm. Rachel is passionate about working at the interface of research and industry and effectively translating scientific breakthroughs into impactful patient therapeutics. Outside of work Rachel enjoys all kinds of dancing and hiking all around the Bay Area.
Kexin Huang
Career Development Committee
Kexin is a PhD student at Stanford Computer Science and a Stanford Bio-X fellow and he is advised by Prof. Jure Leskovec. His research focuses on bringing structures/knowledge to machine learning models to unlock novel biological capabilities and discover unseen biological phenomena. He also studied algorithmic challenges arising from the deployment of these systems, such as statistical guarantees, low-data generalization, and mechanistic interpretability. Previously, he worked with Prof. Marinka Zitnik, Dr. Cao Xiao, and Prof. Jimeng Sun. I have spent time researching at Genentech, Pfizer, IQVIA, Dana-Farber, Flatiron Health, and Rockefeller University. Outside of PhD life, he spent his time playing with a shiba inu Sake and exploring for food, drinks, and fun.
Andy Chen
Career Development Committee
Andy is a 4th year Ph.D student in Bioengineering with research focus on genomic immunology and human diseases. He graduated from medical school 4 years ago and worked in a startup developing a fast disease diagnosis system for 1.5 years. He is interested in the intersection of autoimmune disease management and digital health.
Sarah Wilson
Career Development Committee
Sarah is a 2nd year PhD candidate in the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program at Stanford. Sarah grew up in Missouri before moving to Connecticut, where she received a B.A. in Biology at Trinity College. Post-grad Sarah spent two years working in Dr. Jessica Whited’s lab at Harvard University studying systemic responses to injury in axolotl. She is now conducting her thesis research in Dr. Erin Gibson’s lab. Her research focuses on understanding the intersection of circadian biology, oligodendroglial dynamics, and myelination in Alzheimer’s Disease. Outside of the lab, Sarah is interested in exploring biotech investment, commercial strategy, and enjoys road cycling, and wine tastings. You can find her tweeting at @sarah_wilsoon.
Becca Rodell
Career Development Committee
Becca is a 3rd year PhD candidate in the Chemical and Systems Biology department. She received a B.A. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Cornell University. She then studied DNA repair pathways as a technician at Washington University in St. Louis. She now studies the endogenous functions of RNA modifications in Dr. Nicole Martinez’s lab. Broadly, she is interested in novel functions of RNA and how they can be leveraged into therapeutics. Outside of science, Becca is an enthusiast of cats and chocolate!
Jerry Cheng
Career Development Committee
Jerry is a 2nd year PhD student in the neurosciences program at Stanford. Jerry was born in Taiwan and grew up in the Bay Area. He received his Bachelor of Science from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in 2017 majoring in Physiology/Neuroscience. He received his Master of Science under Dr. Mark Tuszynski at UCSD in 2018 developing a novel regulatable dual AAV system for therapeutic delivery of BDNF. Prior to graduate school, Jerry worked on blood-brain barrier-crossing therapeutics for treating neurodegenerative diseases as an associate scientist at Denali Therapeutics. At the Gibson Lab, Jerry aims to elucidate the role of cellular hypoxic states in regulating maturation and development of oligodendrocyte precursor cells in health and disease. In his free time, Jerry loves to travel, explore local breweries, and find new hiking trails with his miniature Australian shepherd.
Sherry Yang
Career Development Committee
Sherry is a Lucille P. Markey Biomedical Research Fellow (SGF) and 1st year PhD candidate in the bioengineering program at Stanford. She completed undergrad at Columbia University and studied Biology and Statistics. At Columbia, she conducted computational research in the Califano Lab studying gene interaction and identifying master regulators of oncogenic pathway. She is currently rotating in Howard Chang’s lab investigating genes that may lead to ecDNA copy number changes. Sherry is interested in exploring biotech investment, entrepreneurship, and other healthcare-related careers. Outside of lab, Sherry enjoys playing tennis/squash, working out, and travelling while practicing French.
Celeste Diaz
Career Development Committee
Celeste is a Cancer Biology PhD student at Stanford University and is co-advised by Livnat Jerby and Jennifer Cochran. Her research that is supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program incorporates multi-omic approaches and protein engineering to develop novel therapeutics in the immuno-oncology space. Before coming to Stanford for her PhD, Celeste graduated from California State University Stanislaus with a B.S. in Biological Sciences with Summa Cum Laude honors as a first-generation, Mexican-American student. Following graduation, Celeste performed research in the Cancer Program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard under the mentorship of Dr. JT Neal. Her work there utilized genome editing tools to create novel models of rare allelic variation and developing single-cell technologies that can assay functional outcomes of these genetic perturbations. Celeste is passionate about the field of biotechnology and making STEM inclusive and widely accessible through teaching and mentorship. In her free time, Celeste enjoys running, hiking, dancing, walking dogs, and cooking traditional Mexican recipes.
Tim Jung
Undergraduate Committee
Tim is an undergraduate at Stanford planning to major in Computer Science on the bioinformatics track. He currently works in the Covert lab, where he is helping develop a whole-cell computational model of E. coli to predict its behavior at subcellular resolution. Tim is interested in modeling biological systems and applying ML/AI to molecular settings. In his free time, he enjoys playing volleyball, hosting board game nights, and taking photos of landscapes.
Kristine Pashin
Undergraduate Committee
Kristine Pashin is a second-year Stanford undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Symbolic Systems, with a focus in neuroscience. In biotech, Kristine is interested in advancing our understanding of neural development and disease modeling. In the Heilshorn Lab, she is dedicated to studying the impact of microenvironmental cues on neural organoid formation and aims to contribute to predictable neural morphogenesis outcomes. With a foot firmly planted in both industry and academia, Kristine seeks to bridge the gap between cutting-edge biotechnological research and its practical applications in healthcare. In her free time, Kristine enjoys exploring the outdoors, dancing & choreographing, and reading a good novel.
Sureen Heer
Undergraduate Committee
Sureen is an undergraduate at Stanford University studying computational biology. She is interested in cancer biology, drug development, and developing technology to improve medicine and education. Currently, she is working with Manta Cares to develop a digital tool for cancer patients and caregivers. Over a couple of years, she has gained experience in the industry in product design and marketing, largely with an Edtech focus. Outside of work, Sureen enjoys tennis, podcasts, and karaoke.
Maxwell Kounga
Undergraduate Committee, Communication Committee
Maxwell Kounga is a Junior at Stanford University majoring in Biomedical Computation with a concentration in Organ Systems. Maxwell is originally from New Berlin, Wisconsin, where he attended Eisenhower High School, and it was there that he fostered his love for the sciences. Maxwell has conducted research at the Raymond Lab as a Simons Foundation Undergraduate Fellow and participated in the Chem-H Undergraduate Entrepuerniship Program. With growing interests in translation medicine and biotech, he is excited to be a part of SBG to pursue those passions further.
Stanley Yang
Undergraduate Committee
Stanley is an undergraduate studying computer science for applications within medicine and healthcare. His past research experience has been in cutting-edge computational genomics, where he worked on single-cell RNA sequencing technique development at Rockefeller University and novel long-read RNA sequencing applications at Roche Diagnostics. He’s interested in applying novel computational techniques in AI/ML to drug discovery and medical imaging analysis. Outside of biotech, he’s interested in creative writing, weightlifting, and trying new restaurants in the Bay.
Alumni
Cassandra Villicana Board Member (2022-2023)
Amelia Farinas Board Member (2022-2023)
Egan Peltan Co-President (2021 - 2023)
Niraj Mehta Co-President (2021 - 2023)
Julien Roth Board Member (2020-2022)
Sai Gourisankar Board Member (2020-2022)
Jonathan Tyson Board Member (2022)
Stephanie Nevins Board Member (2018-2022)
Naomi Pacalin Co-President (2020-2021), Board Member (2018-2022)
Jack Silberstein Co-President (2020-2021); Biotech Investing Course
Kevin Ho Board Member (2020-2022)
Justin Donnelly Board Member (2020-2022)
Brianna McIntosh Board Member (2018-2022)
Morgan Kiss Board Member (2020-2022)
Sevahn Vorperian Board Member (2020-2021)
Amita Gupta President; Biotech Investing Course (2018-2020); Board Member (2017-2020)
Gille (Agmon) Roth Board Member (2018-2020)
Roger Zhang Biotech Investing Course (2016-2019); Board Member (2015-2019)
Clayton Brown Co-President (2017-2018); Board Member (2015-2019)
Yanniv Dorone Financial Officer (July 2018-July 2019)
Nikita Khylstov Board Member (July 2018-July 2019)
Kevin Erazo Board Member (June-Oct 2018)
Marta Andres Terre Co-President (2017-2018); Board Member (2015-2018)
Angelica Parente Board Member (2015-2017)
Aditya Asokan Board Member/INDE239SI Lecturer (2016-2018)
Melina Mathur Co-President (2014-2017)
Luke Lee Co-President (2014-2017)
Jens Durruthy Durruthy Vice President (2013-2014)
Leah Sibener Board Member (2014-2016)
Christina Loh SBG founder (2012-2013)
Christopher Stern SBG founder (2012-2013)