Team
Principle Investigator
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Assistant Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Maria Mavrikaki, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterMaria Mavrikaki is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at BIDMC and Harvard Medical School. Maria is a neuroscientist who transitioned from McLean Hospital and Harvard's Department of Psychiatry to join BIDMC in 2019 as an Instructor in Frank Slack’s lab. She established her independent lab at BIDMC in 2024. Her pioneering research, which revealed association between severe COVID-19 and molecular signatures of brain aging, has been highlighted in top-tier journals and major media outlets. Building on this work, her ongoing research explores the spatial topography of molecular signatures of brain aging, supported by an R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging.
Instructor
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Instructor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Anupama Rai, PhD
Instructor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterAnupama did her Ph.D. in cell and molecular neurosciences from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India. She worked as a Postdoctoral fellow at Yale University, before joining the Mavrikaki lab in January 2024 for her senior Postdoctoral fellowship. She achieved an instructor position September 2026. Her research focuses on understanding neuron and glia interactions particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. In the Mavrikaki lab she is working on understanding the spatial organization of human frontal cortex using spatial transcriptomics approaches.
Bioinformatician
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Bioinformatician I at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Chris Doan
Bioinformatician I at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterChris Doan earned his B.Pharm from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and his MSc in Bioinformatics and Human Genetics from Virginia Commonwealth University. He previously worked at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and the Biomedical Genetics Section at Boston University. His research interests include applying multi-omics and machine learning approaches to aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Beyond his research, he enjoys playing tennis, reading, and playing the piano.
Research Assistant
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Research Assistant at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Jane Banahan
Research Assistant at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterJane graduated from Muhlenberg College in May 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and Philosophy. She is interested in the biological mechanisms of behavior, particularly aggression and maladaptive behaviors like substance abuse. She aspires to pursue a PhD in neurobiological sciences that allows her to explore how the biology of the brain facilitates these behaviors. Jane is currently contributing to exploring the molecular mechanisms of brain aging and is excited about upcoming research on the neurobiological mechanisms of opioid use disorder.
Outside of the lab, Jane enjoys exercising, drawing, and playing the guitar.
Visiting Undergraduate Students
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Undergraduate Research Student
Khushi Patel
Undergraduate Research StudentKhushi Patel is a current junior at Boston University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a minor in Biology on the pre-med track. She plans to attend medical school following her undergraduate studies and is interested in the mechanisms of brain aging and translational medicine.
