
Principal Investigator

Jerelle completed a BSc in Chemistry and Mathematics and an MPhil in Chemistry (Computational) at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus) in Barbados. Jerelle then moved to the UK, where she read for a PhD in Chemistry (Computational) at the University of Cambridge, in the Wales Group and as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. After her PhD, Jerelle completed postdoctoral work in the Collepardo Lab and as a Junior Research Fellow in King's College Cambridge. Her research is largely focused on biomolecular self-assembly and organization; probing these questions from a computational standpoint.
Jerelle was born and raised on the island of Dominica. Beyond the lab, she is passionate about mentorship and enjoys portrait photography.
Postdoctoral Researchers

Dilimulati is a postdoctoral research associate in the group. He completed a BSc in Applied Physics at the University of Science and Technology of China in June 2018. Then he earned his PhD degree in physics from the Center for Simulational Physics at the University of Georgia in May 2023, under the guidance of Prof. Michael Bachmann. His dissertation work mainly focused on extensive generalized-ensemble Monte Carlo simulations and microcanonical inflection-point analysis of phases for semiflexible polymers. He is currently interested in coarse-grained modeling studies of RNAs and proteins.
Dilimulati is from China. Outside of the lab, He likes hiking, and he also enjoys playing soccer and tennis.

Alina is a postdoctoral research associate in the group. She completed her engineering physics diploma at MEPhI in Moscow, focusing on molecular physics. She obtained her PhD degree in Chemical Engineering at NJIT, where she worked in the Computational Lab for Porous Materials, under the guidance of Prof Gennady Gor. During her time at NJIT, Alina's research interests included computational methods for problems related to adsorption in nanoporous materials. Currently, she is interested in computational approaches to study phase separations in cells and treatment against condensate-linked diseases.
Alina is from Tula, Russia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, attending music shows, and painting.

Yashraj Wani is a postdoctoral research associate who completed his BS-MS in Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal. He then earned his PhD in computational physics from Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany, where his research focused on the dynamics and evaporation-driven assembly in colloidal systems. His current research interests lie in the non-equilibrium physics of protein condensates.
Yashraj is from India. Outside of the lab, he enjoys doing sports and outdoor activities.
Graduate Students

Ananya Chakravarti is a PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering. She completed her undergraduate degree in molecular engineering and linguistics at The University of Chicago in March 2022, where she worked on computational simulations of polymers and solid-state defects. She is currently interested in understanding the mechanisms of biomolecular condensates and designing modifications to control phase separation with applications in disease and aging.
Ananya is from Buffalo, NY. Besides research, she is super passionate about educational outreach in STEM as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Outside of the lab, her hobbies are music (singing, violin, composing), running, yoga, and baking.

Dominic is a PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering. He earned his BS in chemical engineering at Yale University in 2024. At Yale, he measured yield sooting index (YSI) values for sustainable fuel blends and verified empirical trends in the sooting tendencies of alkanes. He recently joined the group in December 2024, and his work will likely focus on protein-RNA interactions within pathological condensates.
Dominic is from Coal City, Illinois. Outside of the lab, he enjoys reading, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and listening to music.

Nate is a PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering. He received his Bachelors of Science in Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania in May of 2022. He is interested in protein liquid-liquid phase separation, specifically the molecular determinants of the phase behavior and transport properties of biomolecular condensates
Nate is from Kennett Square, PA. In his time outside of the lab, he enjoys lifting and competing in Ultimate Frisbee as a member of Princeton’s Men’s Club Ultimate team.

Pablo is a PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering. He received his Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering from Yale University in May 2023, where he worked on theoretical models that simulated the intermolecular interactions of polyelectrolyte biomaterials and their influence on the structural stability of proteins. He is interested in the assembly and disassembly of biomolecular condensates modulated by conformational ensemble changes of condensate scaffolding due to post-translational modifications of proteins.
Pablo is from West New York, NJ. In his free time, he enjoys drawing, going to the gym, and growing Princeton’s Caribbean Graduate Student Association, where is Treasurer.

Hein is a PhD candidate in Biophysics. He did a Bachelors and Masters in Natural Sciences from the University of Cambridge, specializing in Physics. His research interests lie at the intersection of biophysics, physics, and computer science, with a focus on using computational methods to tackle complex biological systems. For his master’s project he worked in Ulrich Keyser's lab on reinforcement learning to automate microfluidic liposome production.
Hein is originally from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In his free time he enjoys reading, playing board games and more recently ballroom dancing.

Virginia is a PhD candidate in Chemical and Biological Engineering who received an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University in 2021. Prior to starting at Princeton, Virginia worked as a scientific associate in drug discovery at D.E. Shaw Research. They are interested in modeling biomolecular condensates to modulate reaction rates for metabolic engineering. Virginia is co-advised by José Avalos.
Virginia is from West Windsor, New Jersey and enjoys hiking, trying new food, and crafting toys for cats.
Undergraduate Students

Olivia is a member of the Class of 2027 majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering with an intended minor in Neuroscience. She has contributed to research at the IMDEA Materials Institute, focusing on utilizing biomaterials for regenerative medicine. Currently, her interests center on studying how solid aggregates within cells contribute to neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS.
Olivia is from Flourtown, PA, just outside Philadelphia. Olivia is passionate about combining science with community impact. She volunteers in the pediatric unit at Penn Medicine Princeton Health, serves on the Board of the Princeton Biomedical Engineering Society, and enjoys staying active through running/exercising.

Anherutowa (Towa) Calvo is a member of the Class of 2027 at Princeton University majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering, with minors in Statistics and Machine Learning and in Quantitative and Computational Biology. He has contributed to research at institutions including Johns Hopkins University, the National Institutes of Health, and Merck & Co., among others. This summer, he will intern at Pfizer, where he will help develop machine learning models for drug discovery.
Towa is passionate about harnessing computational biology, machine learning, and computer vision to solve complex problems in healthcare and therapeutics. Born in Nagano, Japan and raised in Mangilao, Guam, he leads the Princeton Bionics project, volunteers with CodePath to expand access to computer science education, and is actively involved in the Japanese Student Association. When he's not in the lab or in class, he’s probably building with Legos, playing Minecraft, or proudly not reading.

Maria is a member of the Class of 2026 at Rutgers - New Brunswick, double majoring in biomedical engineering and computer science, with a minor in disability studies. She’s currently a part of the Gormley Lab, focusing on the interface between polymers and computer science (specifically in automating techniques and using ML for improvements). Her research interests lie in polymer science and the use of technology for advancements.
Hometown: South Brunswick, NJ. Fun facts: I love to knit and crochet, I got to live in Australia for two years, and I love listening to music (Taylor Swift, Laufey, and Stray Kids being my most played artists).

Kelih is a junior in Chemistry at Princeton. His current interests include the use of computation and molecular dynamics to probe proteins of pathological significance, especially in the context of biomolecular condensates, and the design of condensate modifying therapeutics.
Kelih is from Accra, Ghana, and when he’s not helping with Africa Summit Princeton, he (inconsistently) plays piano in his free time, reads, watches the Premier League and plays FIFA.

Makena is an undergraduate student in Biochemistry at California State University, Northridge. She has worked as an assistant researcher in the Boulesbaa Ultrafast Sciences Group studying nanomaterials using ultrafast technology towards the goal of understanding chemical bonds and energy flow. Beyond this, her current research interests include research exploring biological systems with simulation.
Makena is from Los Angeles, California and enjoys photography and fitness.

Michael is a junior in the Department of Chemistry pursuing minors in Computer Science and Quantitative and Computational Biology. He is interested in using computational modeling and simulation as a means of defining the underlying mechanisms of biomolecular condensate formation and developing condensate-based approaches to molecular therapeutics.
Michael is from Walnut Creek, California. Outside of the lab, he is involved on campus as a board member of the Princeton University Chemical Society (PUCS), and enjoys running and playing basketball.

Megan is a member of the Class of 2027 majoring in Chemical and Biological Engineering and pursuing a minor in Statistics and Machine Learning. This past summer, she researched machine learning models to predict ligand binding affinity with small molecules. She is interested in exploring computational methods to understand small molecule interactions with biomolecular condensates and their link to neurodegenerative disorders.
Megan is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She volunteers for Princeton Global Scholars Alliance and at Penn Medicine Princeton Health. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and running.

Mihir is an undergraduate in the Physics department at Princeton. He is focused on engineering human longevity through therapeutics and fundamental technologies that will enable the moonshot to be actualized rapidly and at scale. Quantitative high-resolution modeling of biophysical processes will be critical for progressing the domain, and Mihir is excited to contribute to it through his work in the lab. Previously, Mihir has worked on deep learning and multiomics for fundamental biology and clinical applications.
Mihir is from Chatham, New Jersey. Outside the lab, he enjoys jazz drumming and hybrid training.

Dhyey is an undergraduate in the Chemical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Department at Rutgers New Brunswick. His research interests lie at the intersection of biophysics, quantum chemistry, and computer science, with a focus on using quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics to develop chemical modelling methods that more accurately capture material properties. At his home institution, Dhyey does research with the Maitra Group on testing TDDFT(Time Dependent Density Functional Theory) kernels and formulations on model systems.
Dhyey is from Piscataway, New Jersey. Outside the lab, he enjoys watching Telugu movies, yoga, and spending time with friends.

Hareton (Harry) is a member of the Class of 2026 majoring in Operations Research and Financial Engineering, with minors in Quantitative and Computational Biology and Gender and Sexuality Studies. He is interested in the application of machine learning and mathematical concepts in biology.
Harry is from New York, NY. He bakes cookies at the Murray-Dodge café and is a member of the Princeton Latine dance group, Más Flow.

David is a REU student for the summer of 2025. He is currently a Business Major at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a dual emphasis in Computer Information Systems and Technology & Operations Management, and a minor in International Business. His Current interests include molecular modeling and the role of RNA-binding proteins in stress granule formation.
David is from Southern California. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, trying new foods, swimming and going to music festivals.

Andrew is a member of the Class of 2026 in the Physics department minoring in Quantitative & Computational Biology and Bioengineering. He has previously worked with the Complex Fluids Group analyzing the phase separation dynamics of charge asymmetric systems using mean-field approximations. Currently, he is interested in using computational methods to study complex biological systems.
Andrew is from San Jose, California. He is the president of his acapella group, the Princeton Footnotes, and plays soccer for Wawa United.
Group Alumni
Undergraduate Students
(JIW = Junior Independent work; ST = Senior Thesis; REU = Research Experience for Undergraduates)
Ethan Sample - CBE ST (2024-2025); Sachs Scholar @ Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University
Caroline Zhao - CBE JIW (2023-2024), ST (2024-2025); Private Equity Analyst @ Bain Capital
Daniel Tan - CBE JIW (2023-2024), OURSIP Fellowship (Summer 2024), ST (2024-2025); PhD Program @ Rockefeller, Computational Biophysics
Ian Grimm - CBE JIW (2023-2024), OURSIP Fellowship (Summer 2024), ST (2024-2025); PhD Program @ UCLA, Chemical Engineering
Olivia Taiwo - CBE JIW (Fall 2024)
Paul Nguyen - BE-SURE REU Student, University of Southern Alabama (Summer 2024)
John Stys - REU Student in Computational Biology, Rutgers University (Summer 2024)
Safaa Merghoub - CBE ST (2023-2024); Scientist @ Prevail Therapeutics
Nicole Ayala - PCCM REU Student, California State University Northridge (Summer 2023)
Paul Boyd - REU Student in Computational Biology, Rutgers University (Summer 2023)
Paul Nguyen - PCCM REU Student, University of Southern Alabama (Summer 2023)