Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould Fund
The Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould Fund was established in 2016 by Mike Gould and Sara Moss to provide long-term funding support for students participating MIT’s Summer Research Program in Biology (MSRP-Bio), now known as the Bernard S. and Sophie G. Gould MIT Summer Research Program in Biology (BSG-MSRP-Bio). MSRP-Bio was first established in 2003 by the Department of Biology to provide an intensive research experience for talented undergraduate students from institutions with limited research opportunities to help them become highly competitive applicants to top PhD or MD/PhD programs. To date, more than 550 students have participated in MSRP-Bio; over 80% have enrolled in PhD or MD/PhD programs, including nearly 100 at MIT.
Gould Fellows
2026
Adrián Martínez Félix
Grew up in: Sonora, Mexico
Undergraduate Institution: Arizona State University ’28
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Brook-Lynn García
Undergraduate Institution: University of Central Florida
MSRP Lab: Rebecca Lamason
Dana Vieira
Undergraduate Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston
MSRP Lab: David Bartel
Favour Jolayemi
Undergraduate Institution: Rust College
MSRP Lab: Francisco J. Sánchez-Rivera
Geraldine Fontanillas-Montes
Grew up in: Ponce, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, ’27
MSRP Lab: Stefani Spranger
J. Rafael Tolentino
Undergraduate Institution: DePauw University
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Lily Roth
Undergraduate Institution: Bridgewater State University
MSRP Lab: Elly Nedivi
Marina Milea
Grew up in: New York, New York
Undergraduate Institution: The City College of New York, ’27
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Olivia Dibble
Undergraduate Institution: Nazareth University
MSRP Lab: Iain Cheeseman
Parnian Paravi Torghabeh
Grew up in: Iran
Undergraduate Institution: California State University, Sacramento ’28
MSRP Lab: Olivia Corradin
Sofia Marcombe Rodríguez
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
MSRP Lab: Yadira Soto-Feliciano
Sophie Davis
Undergraduate Institution: East Carolina University
MSRP Lab: Laurie Boyer
Swathi Sevugan
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, College Park
MSRP Lab: Gene-Wei Li
2025
Adryanne Gonzalez
Grew up in: Southbridge, Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution: Bridgewater State University ’26
MSRP Lab: Daniel Lew
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Ahmad Hussin
Grew up in: Dubai
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County ’26
MSRP Lab: Kristin Knouse
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, University of California, Berkeley
Ariana Oppenheimer
Grew up in: Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Undergraduate Institution: Williams College ’26
MSRP Lab: Lindsay Backman
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student
Christina Valtierra
Grew up in: El Paso, Texas
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas, El Paso ’26
MSRP Lab: Stefanie Spranger
Claire Choplick
Grew up in: Finksburg, Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: Dickinson College ’26
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, MIT Biology
Daniela Villafuerte
Grew up in: Perú
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’26
MSRP Lab: Ruth Lehmann
Elizabeth Negrón
Grew up in: San Antonio, Texas
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas, San Antonio ’26
MSRP Lab: Erin Chen
Post MSRP-Bio: Post-bac at Colorado University, Anschutz
John Hargy
Grew up in: Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Institution: Southern Adventist University ’26
MSRP Lab: Omër Yilmaz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, MIT Biology
Mariely Morales
Grew up in: Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla, ’26
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, University of Florida
Razan Hammad
Grew up in: Harvey, Louisiana
Undergraduate Institution: Xavier University of Louisiana ’26
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Stanford University
Susan Deering
Grew up in: Landenberg, Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Institution: Bucknell University ’26
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: Fulbright Research Scholar, Australian National University
2024
Adriana Camacho-Badillo
Grew up in: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla, ’26
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Yale University
Owen Eby
Grew up in: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: Mount St. Mary’s University ’25
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Post MSRP-Bio: Biophysics PhD Student, Harvard University
Ananya Hota
Grew up in: Charlotte, North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University ’25
MSRP Lab: Alan Grossman
Praise Lasekan
Grew up in: Ondo State, Nigeria
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, ’25
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Brown University
Shante Pérez Nieto
Grew up in: Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’25
MSRP Lab: Gene-Wei Li
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Cornell University
Pearl Dlamini
Grew up in: Eswatini
Undergraduate Institution: Middlebury College ’25
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: Research Assistant
Emily Freko
Grew up in: Accra, Ghana
Undergraduate Institution: College of Idaho ’25
MSRP Lab: Francisco Sánchez-Rivera
Wesley Grace
Grew up in: Bremen, Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Georgia State University ’25
MSRP Lab: Omër Yilmaz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, University of California, Berkeley
Yeongseo Son
Grew up in: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia ’25
MSRP Lab: Stefani Spranger
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Stanford University
Ndongwa Pemba
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Agnes Scott College ’25
MSRP Lab: Hernandez Moura Silva
Post MSRP-Bio: Post-baccalaureate, Broad Institute
Mozani Zianti
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona ’25
MSRP Lab: Alison Ringel
Anna Gerasimenko
Grew up in: Chicago, Illinois
Undergraduate Institution: University of Illinois Chicago ’26
MSRP Lab: Tobi Oni
Post MSRP-Bio: Research Associate, University of Chicago
2023
Fareeda Abu-Juam
Grew up in: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution: College of Wooster, ’24
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Computational Biology, CMU-Pitt joint program
TrishaJean Holt
Grew up in: North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution: Liberty University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Neurobiology, University of Virginia
Chibuikem Iheagwaram
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University, ’25
MSRP Lab: Laurie Boyer
Post MSRP-Bio: Clinical Research Assistant, Harvard Medical School
Abigail Meyer
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Brooklyn College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Rebecca Lamason
Michelle Osiro
Grew up in: Minnesota
Undergraduate Institution: Macalester College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Mansi Patel
Grew up in: Minnesota
Undergraduate Institution: Shippensburg University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Danny Lev
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University
Veronica Perez Taboada
Grew up in: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Barry University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Ruth Lehmann
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Biomedical Sciences, University of Florida
Thomas Schodl
Grew up in: Missouri
Undergraduate Institution: Truman State University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Lindsay Case
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biochemistry, Washington University at St Louis
Cyrille Teforlack
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: Bethune-Cookman University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Peter Reddien
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine
Christina Volpe
Grew up in: Connecticut
Undergraduate Institution: University of Florida, ’25
MSRP Lab: Stefani Spranger
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student
Ross Wood
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Kennesaw State University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Michael Laub
Post MSRP-Bio: Research Assistant, Whitehead Institute
Henoc Zinga
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Vanderbilt University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
2022
Rita Anoh
Grew up in: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution:Mount St. Mary’s University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Payton Dupuis
Grew up in: Montana
Undergraduate Institution: Montana State, ’23
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: Post-bac, Department of Biology Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT
Sheanel Gardner
Grew up in: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Chris Burge
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Rockefeller University
Kevin Gibbons
Grew up in: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, ’23
MSRP Lab: Jacqueline Lees
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Ellen Irving
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Rochester University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Amy Keating
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Gabriel Jimenez
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, ’23
MSRP Lab: Yadira Soto-Feliciano
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan
Channon Lawrence
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Farmingdale State College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Cathy Drennan
Post MSRP-Bio: nursing, healthcare
Madeleine Milner
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona, ’23
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Molecular Biology, UCLA
Diego Pomales
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, ’24
MSRP Lab: Francisco Sánchez-Rivera
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Genetics, Stanford University
Isadora Rocha de Abreu
Grew up in: Brazil
Undergraduate Institution: Nova Southeastern University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: post-bac, NIH
Alejandra Rosario
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Cayey, ’23
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, University of Michigan
Javonte Thelwell
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Stephen Bell
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic
Andres Villalobos
Grew up in: Venezuela
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia, ’23
MSRP Lab: Peter Reddien
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Northwestern University
2021
Samantha Nelson
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: University at Buffalo ’22
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Bailey Bowcutt
Grew up in: Wyoming
Undergraduate Institution: Michigan State University ’23, Goldwater Fellowship
MSRP Lab: Becky Lamason
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Harvard University Chan School of Public Health
Gabriel Pagan-Gonzales
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution:University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’22
MSRP Lab: Yukiko Yamashita
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Harvard University Medical School
Paulina Rios
Grew up in: Texas
Undergraduate Institution:University of Texas at El Paso ’23
MSRP Lab: Catherine Drennan
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Talyia Griffin
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Albany State University ’23
MSRP Lab: Michael Laub
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Biology, Cornell University
Sybrina Kerr
Grew up in: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Claflin University ’22
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Baylor College of Medicine
Katie Holland
Grew up in: Texas
Undergraduate Institution: Angelo State University ’22
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: research scientist, Prime Medicine
Alejandra Ramos
Grew up in: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’22
MSRP Lab: Amy Keating
Post MSRP-Bio: MS Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Mario Coll
Grew up in: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’22
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Chidera Okeke
Grew up in: Nigeria
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University ’22
MSRP Lab: Adam Martin
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Victoria Howard
Grew up in: Tennessee
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville ’22
MSRP Lab: Ankur Jain
Alexandria Jefferson
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia ’22
MSRP Lab: Tobiloba Oni
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Shawn Soares
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: Western New Mexico University ’22
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Immunology Program, Washington University St. Louis
2020
Toni-Ann Nelson
Grew up in: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Alcorn State University ’20
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Northwestern University
Lillian Delacruz
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona ’21
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Shakira Crespo
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’21
MSRP Lab: Iain Cheeseman
Katie Blackwell
Grew up in: Texas
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at Dallas ’20
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Alejandra Flores
Grew up in: Mexico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at El Paso ’21
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Vanderbilt University
Diego Detrés
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’22
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
2019
Sebastian Cruz-Gonzalez
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras ’20
MSRP Lab: Christopher Burge
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, UCSF School of Pharmacy
Trae Dunn
Grew up in: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Kennesaw State University ’21, Goldwater Fellowship
MSRP Lab: Robert Horvitz
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD Student, Stanford University
Stephanie Guerra
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Humacao ’21
MSRP Lab: Michael Laub
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Emory University School of Medicine
Jeandele Elliot
Grew up in: Saint Lucia
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University ’21
MSRP Lab: Jing-Ke Weng
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Stanford University
Meucci Ilunga
Grew up in: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona ’20
MSRP Lab: Amy Keating
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health
Sara Zoghi Tavana
Grew up in: Iran
Undergraduate Institution: Suffolk University ’20
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT
2018
Nicolas Arp
Grew up in: Iowa
Undergraduate Institution: Wartburg College ’19
MSRP Lab: David Sabatini
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Elizabeth Bond
Grew up in: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst ’19
MSRP Lab: Tania Baker
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Tetrad program, University of California, San Francisco
Calvin Herman
Grew up in: Indonesia
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’20
MSRP Lab: Alan Grossman
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Rockefeller University
Gabriela Lopez-Perez
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’20
MSRP Lab: Mary Gehring
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Overbeck Christian Takou Mbah
Grew up in: Senegal
Undergraduate Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston ’19
MSRP Lab: Phillip Sharp
Post MSRP-Bio: Medical School, Stanford University
Giselle Valdes
Grew up in: Miami
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’19
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology
2017
Yamilex Acevedo
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’18
MSRP Lab: Alan Grossman
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology
Asmita Panthi
Grew up in: Nepal
Undergraduate Institution: South Carolina State University ’19
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program (pharmacology), University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Gorodetsky
Grew up in: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’18
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, New York University
Bruna Lima
Grew up in: Cape Verde
Undergraduate Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston ’18
MSRP Lab: Gene-Wei Li
Post MSRP-Bio: M.S. Degree in Computational and Systems Biology, MIT
Samuel Nkrumah
Grew up in: Ghana
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University ’18
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Program in Bioinformatics, UC San Diego
Bertina Telusma
Grew up in: Haiti
Undergraduate Institution: Barry University ’18
MSRP Lab: Stephen Bell
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology
2016
Chantel Acevero
Grew up in: Trinidad and Tobago
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University ’18
MSRP Lab: Martin Polz
Austin Maduka
Grew up in: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County ’17
MSRP Lab: Susan Lindquist
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, Duke University
Patience Mukashyaka
Grew up in: Rwanda
Undergraduate Institution: Spelman College ’18
MSRP Lab: Tania Baker
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program (bioinformatics), Jackson Laboratory
Francis Reilly
Grew up in: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras ’18
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Sheena Vasquez
Grew up in: Guyana
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia ’17
MSRP Lab: Catherine Drennan
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology ’22; Gould Fellow, Gilliam Fellow and NSF GRFP recipient; Postdoc, Stanford University
George Zakusilo
Grew up in: Ukraine
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’17
MSRP Lab: Wendy Gilbert
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD Tri-Institutional program, Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering