Team
Principal Investigator
Allon Klein
Professor of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School
Allon received his PhD in Physics under Dr. Ben Simons at the University of Cambridge, where he studied the stochastic behavior of tissue stem cells. He then retrained in experimental systems biology during his postdoc with Marc Kirschner, working on several problems including signal transduction in Wnt signaling, and developing high-throughput single cell transcriptomics to study heterogeneity in tissues and stem cells.
Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Laura Bagamery
Laura received her PhD under the supervision of Andrew Murray and Ethan Garner at Harvard University, where she studied tradeoffs in the metabolic strategies of budding yeast. In the Klein Lab, she develops quantitative methods for cross-species transcriptomics comparisons, which she applies to understand the evolutionary origins of vertebrate erythropoiesis. Outside of the lab, Laura enjoys crossword puzzles, embroidery, and cats.
Sean Mcgeary
Sean received his PhD under Dr. David Bartel at MIT, where he developed high-throughput biochemical assays to better understand the quantitative effects of miRNAs on their target mRNAs in cells. In the lab, Sean is working at the intersection of developmental biology and high-throughput imaging, with a focus on building new molecular and computer vision tools to map cell–cell interactions at scale. Outside of the lab, Sean enjoys music and film.
James Taggart
James received his PhD under Dr. Gene-Wei Li at MIT, where he studied the quantitative control of gene expression in yeast and bacteria. In the Klein Lab, James is developing tools for high-throughput RNA sequencing and applying them to questions in microbial functional genomics. Outside of the lab, James passes time playing cello, climbing rocks, and watching movies at the Coolidge Corner Theater.
Elena Schäfer
Elena earned her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Florian Hollfelder at the University of Cambridge, where she developed a droplet microfluidics–based screening platform to support the directed evolution of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-hydrolyzing enzymes. In the lab, she uses the CAGE platform to advance microfluidics-based high-throughput functional assays, with applications in areas such as antibiotic discovery. Outside the lab, she enjoys hiking, surfing, and spending time with her two cats.
Pierre Boyeau
Pierre received his PhD under Nir Yosef and Michael Jordan at UC Berkeley, where he developed deep generative models for single-cell genomics. In the Klein Lab, he builds statistical methods to study gene function in bacteria using genome-wide perturbational transcriptomics. Outside of the lab, Pierre spends time with his wife and two young kids and enjoys baking bread and running.
Anja Hess
Anja received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry under Prof. Ludovic Vallier at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany, where she developed cell-free DNA-based epigenomic monitoring for stem cell and organoid systems. In the Klein Lab, Anja is studying how combinations of niche factors shape the potential for self-renewal in epithelial cells. Outside of the lab, Anja enjoys swimming, audiobooks, and classic ghost stories.
Panagiotis Oikonomou
Panos received his PhD under Dr. Nerurkar at Columbia University, where he studied developmental biology, focusing on morphogenesis. In the Klein Lab, Panos is working on projects at the interface of functional genomics and mapping cell signaling landscapes determining cell fate. Outside of the lab, Panos enjoys playing basketball, telestrations, and 3D printing.
Lab Manager
Taylor Rebbe
Taylor earned her Bachelor’s degree at Kansas University where she studied Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology. Before joining the Klein Lab, she managed aquarium exhibits, collected field data at NOAA, and oversaw aquatic facilities within HMS. In her current role, she manages day-to-day laboratory operations, including procurement, safety compliance, protocol development, and coordinating audits and inspections. Outside the lab, Taylor enjoys aerial silks, video game development, and a range of creative projects.
Graduate Students
Ignas Mazelis
Ignas received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry at Vilnius University where he worked on developing droplet-based single-cell analysis techniques. In the Klein Lab, Ignas is developing the semi-permeable CAGE technology for multi-step genomic analysis of single-cells and live cultures and applying it to perform high-throughput live-cell functional screening. Outside the lab, Ignas enjoys mountaineering, rock climbing, photography, and painting.
Hanna Kroll
Hanna is a graduate student at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin, where she studies the spatial organization of the zebrafish ovary using spatial transcriptomics. As a visiting researcher in the Klein Lab, she is exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying cell–cell interactions and tissue organization. Outside the lab, she does triathlons and enjoys knitting.
Albert Zhang
Albert received his Bachelor’s degree at Stanford University, where he studied biology. In the Klein Lab, he is using genomics tools and semi-permeable capsules to map cellular signaling landscapes of developmental decision-making. Outside the lab, Albert can be found wandering around Boston scenery, learning history tidbits, and playing the piano.
Yuyang Chen
Yuyang went to Peking University for undergrad, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Basic Medical Sciences and Physics. In the lab, he tracks single cells to study cell differentiation. Outside the lab, Yuyang enjoys playing sports and watching Arsenal games.
Former Lab Members
Ian Brenckle, Senior Research Associate, Dyno Therapeutics
James Briggs, Schmidt Science Fellow, and Principal Scientist, Next Coast Ventures
Hailey Cambra, Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Nico Gort-Freitas, Data Scientist, Etiome
Takahiro Kanazawa, PhD student, University of Chicago
Kyogo Kawaguchi, Professor, University of Tokyo and RIKEN Institute
Kalki Kukreja, APART-USA Postdoctoral Fellow, IMBA Vienna
Tal Scully, Postdoctoral Fellow, IMBA Vienna
Romain Lopez, Assistant Professor, NYU
Katie McCauley, Director and Principal Investigator, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR)
Lexie O’Brien
Nikit Patel, Postdoctoral Researcher, Boston University; Co-founder, K2 Therapeutics
Virginia Savova, Head of Cell-targeted Precision Medicine, Oncology, Data Science and AI, Astra-Zeneca
Haoxiang Sun, Research Associate, Wang Lab, Westlake University
Naren Tallapragada, Founder and CEO, Tessel Biosciences
Theresa Torre
Daniel Wagner, Assistant Professor, USCF
Shou-Wen Wang, Assistant Professor, Westlake University
Willa Wei, PhD student, University of Toronto
Caleb Weinreb, Postdoctoral Researcher and JCC Fellow, Harvard Medical School
Samuel Wolock, Principal Scientist, Dyno Therapeutics
Qiu Wu, Scientist, Sanofi
Rapolas Zilionis, CSO, Atrandi Biosciences