Our team

Dr. Ryan Koppes

Dr. Ryan Koppes, Associate Professor, has been at Northeastern University since 2015, where he has founded the Laboratory for Neuromodulation and Neuromuscular Repair (LNNR). Ryan received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York in 2013. His doctoral research with Dr. David Corr focused on soft musculoskeletal biomechanics and tissue engineering. In 2013, Dr. Koppes joined the Bioelectronics Laboratory with Dr. Polina Anikeeva in Material Science and Engineering at MIT, where he worked as a Translational Fellow on neural interface technology utilizing a multimaterial thermal drawing process and optogenetics. He was the recipient of the NIH R21 Trailblazer in 2017, is a co-investigator on a 2019 AHA Innovative Project Award, an NSF I-Corps, and is a co-investigator on a 2020 NIH BRAIN Initiative R01 between Northeastern, UCLA, and Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Koppes has also received an NIH R35 MIRA as well as a grant from NASA to support the development of innervated, human organs-on-a-chip in order to inform drug delivery and provide potential models of human biology for future space exploration. Dr. Koppes also enjoys teaching Chemical Engineering Experimental Design Lab II (Unit Operations II) for senior engineers, as well as mentoring undergraduates in the laboratory.

Bryan Schellberg

Over the past 30 years, organ-on-a-chip devices have emerged as a robust alternative to address the technological gaps associated with current in vitro and in vivo options used to investigate biological questions. Organ-chip models integrate three-dimensional tissue architectures in vitro to recapitulate organ-specific functions, such as liver metabolism and intestinal barrier function. Although organ-chips are rapidly gaining interest, more work is needed to encourage broad adoption across research and industry. Bryan’s work focuses on the technical development of organ-chip devices for real-time monitoring and modulation of cell culture conditions with the goal of improving organ-chip functionality.

Bryan joined LNNR in the Fall of 2021 as a Chemical Engineering PhD student. Before joining the lab, he graduated with a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rochester in 2021. At his undergraduate institution, Bryan’s research focused on polymer science and new materials discovery. While at Rochester, Bryan participated in a summer NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates, which shifted his interest to biomedical research.

Ziwen Wang

Periphery neuron repair has always been one of the hot topics to scientists and surgeons. Recent advancements in Dr. Ryan Koppes’ lab have led to the development of a method for differentiating olfactory mucosa stem cells (OMSCs) into Schwann cells, a crucial cell type in facilitating nerve function. With that knowledge, Ziwen aims to perform survival surgery to look at the nerve repair. She is hoping her work will yield a higher rate of nerve repair.

Ziwen joined LNNR in the fall of 2023 as a bioengineering Ph.D. student. Before joining the lab, she had her M.S. in bioinformatics in Northeastern University in 2022. She graduated majoring in biochemistry at Seton Hall University in 2019 and worked as a research assistant in TheWell Bioscience. She also interned in United Therapeutics in 2021, participating in 3D cell culture and bio printing designs.

Nolan Burson

Nolan joined the lab in Fall 2022 as a Chemical Engineering PhD student. His research focuses on developing an innervated humanized heart organ chip and investigating how the platform responds to cardiac responsive pharmaceuticals.

Before joining the lab, Nolan graduated with a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Iowa. During undergrad, Nolan focused on characterizing protein corona formation on nanoparticles in Dr. Jennifer Fiegel’s group. Nolan was also heavily involved in the student AIChE and focused on peer-to-peer mentoring programs.

Outside of lab, Nolan is an active runner in the Cambridge Classic 5K Series and an avid home cook

Selina Banerjee

Selina joined the lab in September 2021 as a Chemical Engineering PhD student. Her research focuses on developing a nerve-artery microphysiological system to better understand vascular graft integration and cardiovascular disease pathology.

Prior to joining LNNR, Selina graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering in May 2021. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on vascular mechanobiology at Dr. Eno Ebong’s lab at Northeastern. She also gained experience with neurobiology research and upstream assay development during her co-op at Skyhawk Therapeutics.

Outside of the lab, Selina loves singing, photography, and going to local coffee shops.

B.S. Chemical Engineering
Northeastern University ’21
Boston, MA

Bill Doherty

La-Tonya Adams