Ed Banigan

Research Scientist

University of Pennsylvania, Ph.D.

Ed is interested in the physical mechanisms of nuclear organization, shape, and mechanics, and how chromatin polymer physics underlies these critical cellular properties. He integrates theory, simulation, and bioinformatic analysis to develop biophysical models to understand cell and molecular biological observations.

ebanigan [at] mit [dot] edu

Aleksandra (Sasha) Galitsyna

Postdoctoral Researcher

Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Ph.D. in Life Sciences

Aleksandra is a computational biologist focused on the intersection of polymer biophysics and chromatin biology, with a strong genomics perspective. A strong advocate for the power of the scientific community, Aleksandra believes teaching and sharing knowledge are absolutely vital. Inspired by regulation of cell commitment and decision-making.

galitsyn [at] mit [dot] edu

Timothy Földes

Postdoctoral Researcher

Sorbonne Université, Ph.D. Physics

Tim approaches the mysteries of chromatin architecture with the eye of a polymer physicist. Currently, he applies analytical approaches and simulations to study the kinetics of cohesin-mediated chromatin contacts and their implication for enhancer-promoter communication. When he’s not solving equations at his desk, you’ll find him brainstorming at the whiteboard with his colleagues.

foldes [at] mit [dot] edu

Irina Zhegalova

Postdoctoral Researcher

Kharkevich Institute, Ph.D.

Irina is studying the role of non-coding RNAs in shaping chromatin organization. She utilizes bioinformatics analysis of Hi-C data to investigate these phenomena and is eager to expand her expertise by learning polymer simulations.

irzhe [at] mit [dot] edu

Emily Navarrete

Graduate Student

MIT Biology, Ph.D. Student

Emily is studying active chromatin organization at length-scales ranging from enhancers and promoters to compartments. She is co-mentored by Job Dekker at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

emilynav [at] mit [dot] edu

Henrik Dahl Pinholt

Graduate Student

MIT Physics, Ph.D. Student

Henrik is interested in how cells make decisions with special emphasis on enhancer-mediated gene activation and DNA repair. His main tools have been inference on single-particle tracking, analytical methods in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, and large-scale polymer simulations.

pinholt [at] mit [dot] edu

Maxim Imakaev

Infrastructure Administrator

MIT, Ph.D

Max is the Mirny Castle’s Calcifer, ensuring our research hearth never falters. He’s responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of our computational infrastructure – he keeps the servers running and the data flowing. But Max’s contributions go far beyond that; his experience and vision have been instrumental in shaping the lab’s path and achievements. Lately, he’s been building Manta, a machine-learning tool to further our research. And unlike Calcifer, Max is not bound to any location and is often in touch from his global adventures.

[at] mit [dot] edu

Flavia Corsi

Postdoctoral Fellow

Flavia aims to understand the mechanisms that govern the three-dimensional organization of sister chromatids using biophysical models.

Katrina Norman

Laboratory Operations Coordinator

New School University/ Parsons School of Design

Katrina joined us in 2022 and quickly became an integrated part of the lab. She keeps the wheels turning on the machine that is the Mirny Lab. Katrina believes in a positive and productive environment where lab members can focus on their research. She also enjoys welcoming new lab members and visitors to Boston.

pkatrina [at] mit [dot] edu

E. M. Breville

Wet-Lab Experimentalist

MIT Physics (Ph.D./M.D./J.D. Harvard Biophysics/HST)

I joined MirnyLab in 2014, taking over daily caffeination duties from Espresso. I continue my predecessor’s research directions, including the long-term study of caffeination on h. sapiens. While I am currently the only wet-lab experimentalist in the group, I find the theorists easy to collaborate with and wonderfully open-minded.

espresso [at] mit [dot] edu

Andy

Visiting Canine

Emily’s Home for Adorable Doggos

Andy’s research passion lies at the intersection of gustatory sensation and reward processing. He’s eager to understand how the epigenetic modifications of taste receptor cells in the tongue, particularly those expressing umami receptors, are involved in the signaling cascades that ultimately activate the brain’s reward circuitry,