Raines Group
Our laboratory is enriched by diversity. We foster an inclusive culture that values everyone. We believe that varied perspectives and shared commitment lead to creativity, innovation, and excellence. We seek #EqualityForAll. For more information, we encourage you to visit CADI and WIC, and to access diversity, equity, and inclusion resources available on the MIT campus.
Graduate Students

Bella Borgula
B.S., Chemistry
Northwestern University
Interests & Activities
Bella is from Michigan. Outside of lab, she enjoys hiking, skiing (or thinking about it when there is no snow), drinking too much coffee, listening to music, playing board games, embroidering, and trying to salvage her dying plants.

KEITH CHEAH
(also with Wittrup Lab)
B.Eng., M.Eng., Chemical Engineering
Imperial College London
Interests & Activities

Forrest FitzGerald
B.A., Chemistry
Florida Atlantic University
Interests & Activities

JOLYNN GIANCOLA
B.S., Chemistry
The Ohio State University
Interests & Activities
As an Ohio native, JoLynn developed an early and lasting enthusiasm for the Buckeyes. An amateur gardener, JoLynn enjoys cultivating new plants of all varieties. She enjoys biking, hiking, and hammocking around the greater Boston area. When not outdoors, JoLynn is excited to emulate Claire Saffitz’s baking and loves the challenge of strategy board games and puzzles.

NICOLA KNOWLES
B.S., Chemistry
Rice University
Interests & Activities

OSCAR MOLINA
B.S., Biochemistry
University of California, Los Angeles
Interests & Activities
As a San Diego native, Oscar enjoys being active and enjoys good food and craft beer. An avid long-distance runner, Oscar is always excited to race in half and full marathons. While not training for a race, he loves playing soccer, surfing, hiking, and finding the best tacos in Boston. When not in lab, he likes to cook, root for all UCLA sports teams, and solve the New York Times daily mini crossword puzzle.

YANA PETRI
B.S., Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley
Interests & Activities
Yana is originally from Moscow, Russia. She moved to California when she was fifteen to pursue a dream of attending a research university with a T-Rex skeleton – lovingly, Bezerkeley. Yana’s favorite hobbies are drawing and reading (Hemingway, Dostoevsky, Nabokov, Fitzgerald, and Isaacson are some of her favorites; Alan Watts is a recent fascination). Yana also loves dancing salsa at weekend socials, exploring nature, traveling to different countries, and simply connecting with friends.

DILYARA SHARIPOVA
B.S., Chemistry
Tufts University
Interests & Activities
Born in Uzbekistan, Dilyara spent the second decade of her life growing up in NYC. There, she developed her passion for chemical biology research and nonprofit education work. Outside of the lab, Dilyara drives initiatives at the MIT Biotechnology Group and is an avid puzzler.

CLAIR TRAVIS
B.S., Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley
Interests & Activities

AXEL VERA
B.S., Chemistry
University of Puerto Rico,
Río Piedras
Interests & Activities

EVANS WRALSTAD
B.S., Chemistry
University of Virginia
Interests & Activities
Evans came up to New England for graduate school after spending 22 years in southeastern Virginia, and he enjoys teaching Northerners the finer points of the Southern dialect, like the difference between “y’all” and “all y’all.” When not educating the masses, he enjoys undertaking overly ambitious baking projects, exploring new cocktails, evangelizing the Legend of Zelda, and finding his next coffee shop to be known by on a first-name basis.

JINYI YANG
B.A., Biochemistry
Smith College
Interests & Activities

ERIKA Zhang
B.S., Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley
Interests & Activities
Postdoctorates

DR. JOOMYUNG (VICKY) JUN
Ph.D., Chemistry
University of Pennsylvania
Interests & Activities
Born in South Korea, Vicky loves to explore new places and is always open to a new adventure. Recently, she has developed enthusiasm for tennis, rock climbing, wake surfing, and snowboarding. She is an avid lover of food and will never say “no” to trying a new delicacy especially from different cultures. When away from the lab, she enjoys exploring local cafes and discovering hidden gems. A lifelong night owl, Vicky aspires to be an early bird one day.

DR. ANIEKAN OKON
Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Interests & Activities

DR. KIRA PODOLSKY
Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences
University of California, San Diego
Interests & Activities
Undergraduate Students

MARISSA ABBOTT
Biological Engineering Major
MIT (’23)

ALIA KASSIM
Chemistry–Biology Major
MIT (’25)
Research Affiliates
Administrative Assistant
