TEAM
Summer 2026
Karen E Martin, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Postdoc, Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital
PhD, Bioengineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University
Hometown: Williamsville, NY
Hobbies: In her free time, Karen can be found in the mountains running, hiking, skiing, or rock climbing.
Befikadu Mekonnen
PhD Student, Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Project: An NK Cell Prime-and-Engage Strategy for Liver Cancer
Hobbies: Playing soccer, biking, reading, and finding best coffee spots in town.
Rahul Hurer
PhD Student, Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biomedical Engineering, Boston University
Hometown: Franklin, MA
Project: Decoding CAR NK Cell Inhibitory Axes with High-Throughput shRNA Screens
Hobbies: Tennis, Skiing, Working out, Making bagels
Morgan Foltz
MS Student, Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biomedical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Hometown: Easton, MA
Project: LNP delivery of chemokines to promote NK cell homing to liver tumors
Hobbies: In her free time, she enjoys painting, hiking, and scuba diving.
Lara Werner Schlickmann
MS Student, Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah
Hometown: Santa Catarina, Brazil
Project: CAR-shRNA Engineering of NK Cells to Overcome Solid Tumor Immunosuppression
Hobbies: Reading and baking
Fariha Fairoz
MS Student, Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University
Hometown:
Project: Optimization of CAR-NK Cell Manufacturing Through Alternative Cytokine Sources and Feeder Cell Engineering
Hobbies:
Shefali Bakre
Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Burlington, MA
Project: Identifying promising target pairs in pancreatic cancer for OR gated CARs
Hobbies: In her free time, she likes to learn new dances, listen to music, and explore different cities.
Grant Cibulsky
Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Wyomissing, PA
Project: CAR NK Cells for Alzheimer's Disease
Hobbies: He spends his free time listening to music, going on walks, and watching tv.
![Martin lab pic[3].JPG.jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/526f73_9299631894e647039c38e9d5059fc190~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_259,h_344,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Martin%20lab%20pic%5B3%5D_JPG.jpeg)
Gabi Merli
Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Project: Profiling NK cell activating and inhibitory receptors in colorectal cancer
Hobbies: She likes to crochet, read, and do diamond paintings in her free time; she also does ballroom dancing!
Sihle "Tema" Shongwe
Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Mankayane, Eswatini
Project: Armoring NK cells with stimulatory cytokines for enhanced tumor killing
Hobbies: She likes reading romance novels, taking walks (not hiking), and watching Derry girls.
Aria Patel
Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering
Hometown:
Project: Leveraging NK Cell Engagers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Hobbies:
Lily Giurleo
Visiting Undergraduate Student, Biomedical Engineering, Dartmouth College
Hometown:
Project: anti-FAP CAR NK Cells for Cardiac Fibrosis
Hobbies: