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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
2024
Adriana Camacho-Badillo
Home: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla
MSRP Lab: Eliezer Calo
Owen Eby
Home: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: Mount St. Mary’s University
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Ananya Hota
Home: Charlotte, North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University
MSRP Lab: Alan Grossman
Praise Lasekan
Home: Ondo State, Nigeria
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Shante Pérez Nieto
Home: Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
MSRP Lab: Gene-Wei Li
Pearl Dlamini
Home: Eswatini
Undergraduate Institution: Middlebury College
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Emily Freko
Home: Accra, Ghana
Undergraduate Institution: College of Idaho
MSRP Lab: Francisco Sanchez-Rivera
Wesley Grace
Home: Bremen, Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Georgia State University
MSRP Lab: Omer Yilmaz
Yeongseo Son
Home: Murfreesboro, Tenessee
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia
MSRP Lab: Stefani Spranger
Ndongwa Pemba
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Agnes Scott College
MSRP Lab: Hernandez Moura Silva
Mozani Zianti
Home: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona
MSRP Lab: Alison Ringel
2023
Fareeda Abu-Juam
Home: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution: College of Wooster, ’24
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Computational Biology, CMU-Pitt joint program
TrishaJean Holt
Home: North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution: Liberty University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Neurobiology, University of Virginia
Chibuikem Iheagwaram
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University, ’25
MSRP Lab: Laurie Boyer
Post MSRP-Bio: Clinical Research Assistant, Harvard Medical School
Abigail Meyer
Home: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Brooklyn College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Rebecca Lamason
Michelle Osiro
Home: Minnesota
Undergraduate Institution: Macalester College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Mansi Patel
Home: Minnesota
Undergraduate Institution: Shippensburg University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Danny Lev
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University
Veronica Perez Taboada
Home: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Barry University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Ruth Lehmann
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Biomedical Sciences, University of Florida
Thomas Schodl
Home: 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
Home: 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
Home: Connecticut
Undergraduate Institution: University of Florida, ’25
MSRP Lab: Stefani Spranger
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student
Ross Wood
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Kennesaw State University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Michael Laub
Post MSRP-Bio: research assistant, Whitehead Institute
Henoc Zinga
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Vanderbilt University, ’24
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
2022
Rita Anoh
Home: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution:Mt. Saint Mary’s University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Payton Dupuis
Home: Montana
Undergraduate Institution: Montana State, ’23
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PostBac, Department of Biology Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT
Sheanel Gardner
Home: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Chris Burge
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Rockefeller University
Kevin Gibbons
Home: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County, ’23
MSRP Lab: Jacqueline Lees
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Ellen Irving
Home: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Rochester University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Amy Keating
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Gabriel Jimenez
Home: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, ’23
MSRP Lab: Yadira Soto-Feliciano
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Michigan
Channon Lawrence
Home: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Farmingdale State College, ’24
MSRP Lab: Cathy Drennan
Post MSRP-Bio: nursing, healthcare
Madeleine Milner
Home: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona, ’23
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Molecular Biology, UCLA
Diego Pomales
Home: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, ’24
MSRP Lab: Francisco Sanchez-Rivera
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Genetics, Stanford University
Isadora Rocha de Abreu
Home: Brazil
Undergraduate Institution: Nova Southeastern University, ’23
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: post-bac, NIH
Alejandra Rosario
Home: 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
Home: 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
Home: Venezuela
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia, ’23
MSRP Lab: Peter Reddien
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Northwestern University
2021
Samantha Nelson
Home: New York
Undergraduate Institution: University at Buffalo ’22
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Department of Biology, MIT
Bailey Bowcutt
Home: 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
Home: 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
Home: 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
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Albany State University ’23
MSRP Lab: Michael Laub
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Biology, Cornell University
Sybrina Kerr
Home: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Claflin University ’22
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD student, Baylor College of Medicine
Katie Holland
Home: Texas
Undergraduate Institution: Angelo State University ’22
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: research scientist, Prime Medicine
Alejandra Ramos
Home: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’22
MSRP Lab: Amy Keating
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Mario Coll
Home: Florida
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’22
MSRP Lab: Seychelle Vos
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Chidera Okeke
Home: Nigeria
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University ’22
MSRP Lab: Adam Martin
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Victoria Howard
Home: Tennessee
Undergraduate Institution: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville ’22
MSRP Lab: Ankur Jain
Alexandria Jefferson
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: University of Georgia ’22
MSRP Lab: Tobiloba Oni
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Shawn Soares
Home: 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
Home: Jamaica
Undergraduate Institution: Alcorn State University ’20
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Northwestern University
Lillian Delacruz
Home: Arizona
Undergraduate Institution: University of Arizona ’21
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Shakira Crespo
Home: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez ’21
MSRP Lab: Iain Cheeseman
Katie Blackwell
Home: Texas
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at Dallas ’20
MSRP Lab: Joey Davis
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Department of Biology, MIT
Alejandra Flores
Home: Mexico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at El Paso ’21
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Vanderbilt University
Diego Detrés
Home: 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
Home: 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
Home: Georgia
Undergraduate Institution: Kennesaw State University ’21, Goldwater Fellowship
MSRP Lab: Robert Horvitz
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD Student, Stanford University
Stephanie Guerra
Home: 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
Home: Saint Lucia
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University ’21
MSRP Lab: Jing-Ke Weng
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Stanford University
Meucci Ilunga
Home: 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
Home: Iran
Undergraduate Institution: Suffolk University ’20
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, MIT
2018
Nicolas Arp
Home: Iowa
Undergraduate Institution: Wartburg College ’19
MSRP Lab: David Sabatini
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, University of Wisconsin at Madison
Elizabeth Bond
Home: Massachusetts
Undergraduate Institution: UMass Amherst ’19
MSRP Lab: Tania Baker
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Tetrad program, University of California, San Francisco
Calvin Herman
Home: Indonesia
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’20
MSRP Lab: Alan Grossman
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Student, Rockefeller University
Gabriela Lopez-Perez
Home: 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
Home: Senegal
Undergraduate Institution: UMass Boston ’19
MSRP Lab: Phillip Sharp
Post MSRP-Bio: Medical School, Stanford University
Giselle Valdes
Home: Miami
Undergraduate Institution: Florida International University ’19
MSRP lab: Eliezer Calo
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology
2017
Yamilex Acevedo
Home: 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
Home: Nepal
Undergraduate Institution: South Carolina State ’19
MSRP Lab: Tyler Jacks
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program (pharmacology), University of Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Gorodetsky
Home: New York
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’18
MSRP Lab: Matthew Vander Heiden
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, New York University
Bruna Lima
Home: Cape Verde
Undergraduate Institution: UMass Boston ’18
MSRP Lab: Gene-Wi Li
Post MSRP-Bio: M.S. Degree in Computational and Systems Biology, MIT
Samuel Nkrumah
Home: Ghana
Undergraduate Institution: Fisk University ’18
MSRP Lab: Thomas Schwartz
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD Program in Bioinformatics, UC San Diego
Bertina Telusma
Home: Haiti
Undergraduate Institution: Barry University ’18
MSRP Lab: Stephen Bell
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Biology
2016
Chantel Acevero
Home: Trinidad and Tobago
Undergraduate Institution: Howard University ’18
MSRP Lab: Martin Polz
Austin Maduka
Home: Maryland
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County ’17
MSRP Lab: Susan Lindquist
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD program, Duke University
Patience Mukashyaka
Home: Rwanda
Undergraduate Institution: Spelman College ’18
MSRP Lab: Tania Baker
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program (bioinformatics), Jackson Laboratory
Francis Reilly
Home: Puerto Rico
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus ’18
MSRP Lab: Troy Littleton
Post MSRP-Bio: PhD program, MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Sheena Vasquez
Home: 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
Home: Ukraine
Undergraduate Institution: Hunter College ’17
MSRP Lab: Wendy Gilbert
Post MSRP-Bio: MD/PhD Tri-Institutional program, Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan Kettering