Our Team — LEAS LAB 2022

Board of Directors

Dr. Kushnir is a trained virologist with significant experience in biotech and grant funding. Dr Kushnir spent 10 years in assisting universities and small businesses secure government funding for research and development. Most recently, Dr. Kushnir served as the Sr VP for Preclinical Development of Vaccines as a small biotech and now works at a multinational pharmaceutical company developing vaccines and immune therapies against infectious diseases. Dr. Kushnir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Virginia and a PhD in Virology from Harvard University.

Anna Kushnir

Board President

Shana has vast experience in higher education, business, and non-profit organizations. Her passion for providing outreach, engagement, and programming for students led her to a career in admissions for the Pathways MD program at Harvard Medical School. Before HMS, she worked in student services at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Shana has been an active volunteer and served in leadership roles for various organizations, including those that support the advancement of women’s health and international business trade and investment. Shana earned her graduate degree in Management from Harvard University.

Shana Wagner

Board Treasurer

Camille Serelus, MPH, (she/her/hers) earned her BA in Human Services from Northeastern University and her MPH from Boston University with a focus on global health, monitoring and evaluation. While completing her MPH, Camille held positions in higher education supporting student’s wellness and developing advising programs. Camille met the co- founders of LEAS Lab while serving as the Program Manager for Career Forge where they bonded over the mission of teaching, empowering and placing student scientists in fulfilling jobs and internships. Camille currently teaches Barre full-time and manages a Barre & Yoga studio in Massachusetts. She enjoys helping people reach their greatest potential in and out of the lab.

Camille Serelus

Board Clerk

Jamie Dupuy, M.D. is a psychiatrist in clinical practice at Boston University. She is a graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, earned her medical degree at Cornell University, and completed her psychiatry residency training at the Harvard Longwood program in Boston. Her academic and clinical research experience at Massachusetts General Hospital was focused on Bipolar Disorder. Currently, Dr. Dupuy's clinical interests include mood disorders and women’s health. She enjoys her work with college students, in particular encouraging and enabling young women to pursue their interests in science, medicine, and engineering fields.

Jamie Dupuy

Board Member

Ihedinachi Ndukwe, M.D, M.D(Res) is a medical doctor. She earned her medical degree in the Czech Republic and her basic specialist training in Internal Medicine in Ireland. She had her sub-specialist training in Neurology; completing her clinical fellowship in Movement Disorders in St Vincent’s University Hospital Dublin, Ireland and simultaneously gaining her research doctorate from University College Dublin (UCD). She has several publications in peer reviewed, high impact factor neurology journals and is currently pursuing a career in Family Medicine with special interest in Neurology in the United Kingdom. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Ihedinachi Ndukwe enjoys dedicating her time to medical education and mentoring young girls.In addition to her clinical work, Dr Ihedinachi Ndukwe enjoys dedicating her time to medical education and mentoring young girls.

Ihedinachi Ijeoma Ndukwe

Board Member

Josh eared his BS in Biochemistry from Ohio Northern University, and MS and PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University. After graduate school, Josh completed a postdoc in Neuroscience Chemical Biology at Pfizer in Cambridge, MA and has been active in the biotech community in eastern MA since. After Pfizer, Josh joined Thermo Fisher Scientific where he has been for over 6 years holding various life science-focused technical roles, and is currently the Eastern MA Cell & Gene Therapy Business Development Manager. Passionate about community, Josh is also on the board of directors of Lynn Shelter Association and Lynn Main Streets, and is a volunteer astronomer at the City of Lynn’s High Rock Tower Observatory.

Josh Judkins

Board Member

Executive Team

Marianne got her PhD in Biomedicine from King’s College London, UK. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School, where she published numerous papers in high impact peer reviewed journals. Marianne is an experienced Research Specialist with expertise in Epigenetics, Molecular Biology, Life Sciences, and Genetics. She is focused on furthering science education and communication and has a strong passion for humanitarian aid which has fostered her love of teaching and engaging her students in an interactive learning environment.

Marianne Lindahl-Allen

Co-Founder

Uzochi Erlingsson, M.D is a medical doctor, a published research scientist, and an experienced venture capitalist. Her scientific research experience focused on Biochemical Genetics, and particularly inborn errors of metabolism. She is also the Founder and Managing Partner of Haegrun Holdings, where she is an accomplished executive and business analyst in healthcare and wellness early stage investment. She has a passion for service and devotes much of her time to non-profit work, including support for education and arts organizations, and specific initiatives to support women-owned businesses.

Uzochi Erlingsson

Co-Founder

Scientific and Strategic Advisors

Amara is a medical student at the University of Debrecen, Hungary. She completed her undergraduate degree at New York University in Global Public Health, Biology with a specialization in Infectious Diseases. Amara channels her love for traveling into learning the impact of culture on health and medical practices. With a special interest in the gut microbiome, she hopes to pursue her medical career as a gastroenterologist.

Amarachi Ndukwe

Nancy is the Faculty Associate Dean for Community Engagement in Medical Education, Harvard Medical School. In addition to her academic and clinical responsibilities, Dr. Oriol is founder and executive director of the Family Van, a public health outreach program of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Nancy Oriol

Noelle is an experienced real estate executive in New York with 14 years of experience. She is originally from Whitefish Montana and has connections with the rural communities. She is passionate about Women's Health and education.

Noelle Bailly

Our Interns

Natasha is a Biochemistry student at Barnard College. She is currently taking a gap year and working at Covid-19 vaccination sites in Massachusetts. She is passionate about learning and loves that students can gain hands-on experience in new fields in the low stakes, low pressure environment provided by LEAS Lab. In the future, Natasha is interested in pursuing public health and medicine.

Natasha Sharma

Charlotte is graduate of Beaver Country Day school and headed to The George Washington University fall of 2021. During the course Charlotte compiles daily blog questions and asks for feedback from our students. Charlotte has gained a lot of experience from being an intern. In addition to what is taught to the students about PCR, vital signs, and lab etiquette, she has learned how to work under pressure, formulate thoughtful and productive constructive criticism, and most of all how to collaborate and communicate with a larger team.

Charlotte Ketterson

Shon is a Premed student entering his last year at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. As a former student of the program, Shon was eager to join the team to help other students gain the necessary skills that he once did through the program. His position within LEAS Lab allows him to work directly with students who are interested in the field of biotech research and give them the skills necessary to function within a lab environment. In the future, Shon plans on attending medical school to pursue a career in hematology/oncology.

Shon Rhine

Racheal Galicia is a Pharmacology and Toxicology student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)-Boston Campus. She's interested in studying the body and how the body responds to drugs on a biological level. She loves anything that has to do with hands-on learning. She is an achiever and willing to do anything to make a difference and help anyone in need. In her free time, she likes to spend time with friends and family.

Racheal Galicia

Zachary Gunn is a rising junior on the pre-med track attending Morehouse College. Hailing from Washington DC, he is passionate about helping people in need and his career aspirations are to go into healthcare.

Zachary Gunn

Volunteers

Mai Le is a current pharmacy student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (MCPHS) – Boston campus. She is interested in research and hopes to gain more experiences in bench top and clinical research skills. She first joined LEAS LAB in March 2022 and has enjoyed being in the lab to conduct experiments and solve clinical case studies. She hopes to be more involved and supports students who share the same passion for STEM. In her free time, Mai enjoys biking along the Charles River, making oreo cheesecake and exploring new food places.

Mai Le

Devanshee Sanghvi is a current Pharmaceutical Sciences student at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences(MCPHS)-Boston Campus. She aspires to build a research-oriented career with major focus on drug discovery and identifying biologically useful molecules as potential drugs. As a former student of the course, She is enthusiastic to work with the team and enjoys being in the lab to assist students. Devanshee absolutely fancies sports, painting, and trying new food.

Devanshee Sanghvi

Rujul Tamhane is a masters student at Northeastern University pursuing MS in Biotechnology. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biotech Engineering. I am interested in immunology, microbiology, genetics and molecular biology research. I always look for opportunities to develop my laboratory skills and knowledge which will help me excel in my career.

Rujul Tamhane

Board of Directors

Executive Team

Scientific and Strategic Advisors

Our Interns

Volunteers

With special thanks to our sponsors