Team

Sophia M. Shi, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Sophia is a Rowland Fellow and Principal Investigator at the Rowland Institute at Harvard University. She received her B.A. in Chemistry and Biology from Cornell University and her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University, where she was as a Bio-X Graduate Fellow in the laboratories of Carolyn Bertozzi and Tony Wyss-Coray. Her research seeks to uncover  fundamental roles of glycans in the brain, with a focus on how these complex sugar molecules regulate brain barrier function and can be harnessed to promote brain health in aging and disease. Beyond the lab, Sophia enjoys running, casual biohacking, and being in nature.

Tamara Chan, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Tamara received her B.S. in Neuroscience & Physiology, as well as her M.S. in Biological Sciences at University of California San Diego, where she conducted research under Dr. Richard Daneman on how neuronal activity regulates endothelial circadian clock genes, which in turn, regulate blood-brain barrier properties. She earned her Ph.D. in Dr. Marius Wernig’s lab at Stanford University as a Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellow, where she combined techniques of chemical proximity labeling, mass spectrometry proteomics, high content imaging and analysis, and genetics to discover molecules that regulate microglial tiling. As a postdoc in the Shi lab, Tamara is excited to dive back into blood-brain barrier biology, but through the lens of how glycosylation changes at the blood-brain barrier affect Alzheimer’s Disease progression. Beyond the lab, Tamara enjoys nature documentaries, lifting weights, playing board games, and sewing.

Zhung-Fu Lee, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow

Zhung-Fu received his B.S. in Pharmacy from Taipei Medical University and his M.S. in Brain Science from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. During his earlier research training, he investigated altered nociception in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. He later earned his Ph.D. in Dr. Benjamin Deneen’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine, where he combined multiple approaches to investigate how neuronal activity regulates astrocyte morphogenesis. His doctoral work also explored how distinct astrocyte populations regulate spinal cord neural circuit function. As a postdoc in the Shi lab, Zhung-Fu looks forward to expanding his research into glycobiology by investigating how disease-associated changes in glycosylation influence blood–brain barrier function and neurodegenerative disease progression. Outside the lab, Zhung-Fu enjoys playing badminton, exploring new places, and trying local foods. Having spent most of his life in warmer climates, he is curious to experience his first Boston winter.

Ikshu Pandey, B.S., Post-baccalaureate Researcher

Ikshu earned a B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering and a B.S. in Neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University in 2024. Her undergraduate thesis focused on studying dysfunctions in the blood-brain barrier due to Alzheimer's Disease mutations. After graduation, she spent one year in Switzerland as a Fulbright Research fellow and expanded her research on brain barriers to study disease-induced dysregulations from a neuroinflammatory perspective. As a post-baccalaureate researcher in the Shi Lab, she is excited to integrate these experiences to characterize the role that glycans play at these fluid-brain interfaces. Ikshu is particularly interested in studying the choroid plexus and assessing changes to glycosylation in Alzheimer's Disease or other neurodegenerative conditions.

Onovughakpor Otitigbe, B.A., Post-baccalaureate Researcher 

Onovughakpor Otitigbe-Dangerfield earned a B.A. in Biomedical Engineering and History of Science, along with an M.S. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University in 2025. Her previous research spanned wet lab research into the mechanobiological properties of the endothelial glycocalyx in triple negative breast cancer to robotics and medical device design for neurodegenerative disease. As a post-baccalaureate researcher in the Shi Lab, she is excited to intersect her neuroscientific and chemical engineering background to investigate the role of glycosylation in the development of Alzheimer's disease. 
Anji is pursuing a Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) program. Her prior research focused on tau and amyloid-β pathology, neuroinflammation, and risk factors underlying Alzheimer’s disease. She is currently rotating in the Shi Lab investigating the roles of glycans in neuro-immune interactions. As a graduate student and National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellow, she aims to continue studying mechanisms in aging and neurodegeneration, integrating molecular, cellular, and systems-level approaches. 

Anji Tuyeras, B.S., Graduate Student

Hanah Youn, Undergraduate Student

Hanah is studying Neuroscience and Comparative Literature at Harvard College, where she also competes on the Varsity Sailing Team. As a summer researcher in the Thomas Südhof Lab at Stanford University, her work focused on the molecular logic of synapse formation to better understand how disruptions in synaptic connectivity contribute to neurodegeneration. In the Shi Lab, she is interested in harnessing glycans at the blood–brain interface to facilitate the delivery of therapeutics into the brain, with the goal of improving treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s and neurodegenerative disorders. Her commitment to this work stems from her volunteer experience at an Alzheimer’s clinic in Spain, where she witnessed the urgent need for more effective therapies. Outside the lab, she enjoys boxing, writing comedy, and trying new things.

Anthony Wei , Undergraduate Student

Anthony is an undergraduate studying Neuroscience, Physics, and Mathematics at Harvard College. His previous research investigated the glycocalyx as a biophysical barrier to immunotherapy in brain cancer. He has also worked on industry research to develop small molecule drugs for solid tumors and neurodegenerative diseases. In the Shi Lab, Anthony is excited to further develop his interests in glycobiology by conducting computational research on vascular glycosylation patterns in neurological diseases. Outside of the lab, Anthony enjoys working out, running, and eating.

Alumni

Jackson Chen (Lexington High School)