Prof. Correa heads the Nanoscale Immunoengineering Lab. His research interests lie in developing biomaterials and nanotechnology for reprogramming the immune system.

Born in New York, Robert has been slowly making his way back up north. He did his Ph.D with M.G. Finn at Georgia Tech, where he worked on developing protein nanoparticle glycoconjugates for immunotherapy. He joined the Correa lab to further explore the role of glycans and self-assembling materials to precisely direct immune responses.

Originally from Athens, Greece, Artemis spent the second half of her life in Bethsda, MD. In the Correa Lab, Artemis is exploring how extracellular vesicles can be used to formulate bioactive hydrogels that modulate immune responses and promote tissue regeneration. Outside of research she enjoys FaceTiming her dog, Millie, yoga classes, long walks, and beach trips.

Guided by immunobiology fundamentals, James seeks to improve nucleic acid transfection of immune cells. He is exploring targeted transfection through protein decoration of lipid-based nanoparticles and localized transfection through hydrogel incorporation. In his free time James enjoys lounging with his cat, cooking, and Costco.

Raised in Gambia to a Lebanese family, Ryan completed his education in Spain. Fascinated by the intricacies of the human body and driven by a desire to build tools, he pursued a bachelor's and master's in bioengineering. After two and a half years as a research technician in Dr. Darrel Irvine's lab at MIT, Ryan is now applying the skills he has acquired over the years to modulate the immune system in immune-related diseases.

Sarah engineers bioactive materials that localize and potentiate immune signals to overcome the barriers of treatment-resistant tumors such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Her work aims to improve the potency, durability, and efficacy of next-generation immunotherapies. Outside the lab, Sarah teaches bioengineering through Columbia's Science Honors Program and ceramics at Uptown Clay.

With a background in nanoparticle formulation and characterization, Satya is passionate about developing biomaterials that enable targeted gene delivery. Satya completed his undergraduate training in the Prud'homme Lab at Princeton University and is currently co-advised by Prof. Kam Leong. Outside of lab, he enjoys traveling and flying small planes above the cornfields of his native Ohio.

Born and raised in Venezuela, Oriana moved to Miami, FL to pursue her B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering. During her M.S. research work, Oriana got really interested in biomaterials for immunomodulation in hydrogels. She now hopes to integrate her expertise in biomaterials with single-cell genomic tools to help her better design systems that elicit specific immune responses.

Monica is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow currently working on approaches to stimulate T cells and next-generation cancer therapies. She completed her B.S. in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley. Before graduate school, she held roles in tech leadership and nonprofits. She’s passionate about solutions that expand access to scientific knowledge and advanced therapies for patients excluded by language, geography, or cost.

Sharon completed her bachelor’s degree in Cell Biosciences at UCL. Her research focuses on encapsulating immune cell–derived extracellular vesicles into hydrogels and engineering lipid nanoparticles to enhance CAR-phagocyte function for immunotherapeutic applications. Outside the lab, Sharon enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling, and spending time with friends.

Irene earned her B.S. in Bio and Brain Engineering from KAIST, South Korea. With experiences in lipid nanoparticle formulation and lab-on-a-chip systems for drug screening, she is interested in engineering biomaterial platforms integrating nanoparticles and hydrogels for localized immunotherapies. Outside of lab, Irene enjoys exploring the city and going to musical performances.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Michal uses her unique background in Biochemistry and Studio Art to develop immune-modulating hydrogels for injectable therapeutics. As a Columbia-CUNY Pathways Fellow, she aims to leverage her creativity to design cell-interfacing biomaterials that expand the knowledge of immune modulation and ultimately improve public health outcomes.

Ethan completed his bachelor’s in biomedical engineering at Tufts University, where he worked in Dr. David Kaplan’s lab on neural tissue engineering and therapies for Glioblastoma Multiforme. Drawn to programmable biomaterials, he joined the Correa Lab to study how hydrogels modulate immune interactions to fight cancer. Outside the lab, Ethan enjoys cooking and running in Central Park.

Jennifer earned a B.S. in Nanotechnology Eng. from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Medellín, Colombia, where she developed responsive nanomaterials for colon cancer drug delivery. Driven by a fascination with multifunctional nanomaterials, she joined the Nanoscale Immunoengineering Lab where she researches hydrogel-based platforms to modulate immune interactions in cancer and autoimmune disease. Outside the lab, she enjoys baking and painting.

As a biomedical engineering student, Daniella is passionate about the intersection of medicine and technology to create a healthier future. Specifically, her research involves deriving nanovesicles from mammalian cells for therapeutic applications. Outside of the lab, Daniella is involved in the undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Society and CU Public Health Club.

Alexandra is a fourth-year biomedical engineering student developing self-assembling hyaluronic acid hydrogels for immune modulation and therapeutic delivery. She hopes to translate biomaterials research to patient care and pursue a career in academic medicine. Outside the lab, she is involved in BMES and the Columbia-Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) Program, and she enjoys exploring new cafés and reading.

As a Neuroscience major, Nastexo is interested in how biotechnology can be used to design materials that interact with the immune system, and her research focuses on developing biomimetic hydrogels for immune cell modulation and therapeutic applications. Outside the lab, she serves as an instructor for the Columbia University Biotechnology Society. In her free time, she enjoys reading.

During high school, Yara explored tissue engineering, materials science, and chemical engineering labs, where she discovered her passion for biomaterials. Today, as a second-year biomedical engineering student, she studies how extracellular vesicles can be used in hydrogels. On campus, she serves as Co-Chair of Student Life in BMES, and in her free time, she loves crocheting and animating.

Shawn Meng is a biological sciences major and computer science minor at Columbia University interested in building programmable biomaterial platforms for immunotherapy. In the Leong and Correa labs, Shawn engineers a modular yeast extracellular vesicle (EV) display system that uses fusion proteins to present immune-targeting ligands on EV surfaces, to create scalable and modular therapeutic delivery systems.

Passionate about the intersection of biotechnology, medicine, and computational innovation, Mackenzie aspires to be a physician assistant. Her research engineers liposome-based drug delivery systems to improve targeted treatments for diseases like pancreatic cancer. She also plays on the Columbia’s club volleyball team, is active in the Women in Computer Science (WiCS) club, and enjoys playing piano.

Claire is a first-year engineering student enthusiastic about developing technologies to improve human health as a surgeon. Curious about the role of biomaterials in immunotherapies, she is studying the impact of various hydrogel designs on the immune response, eager to continue learning following her research with Dr. Di Lang at UCSF. Outside the lab, Claire loves dancing ballet and cross-country road trips.