Dr. AJ te Velthuis

Aartjan (AJ) te Velthuis received his PhD cum laude for his work on the replication of the SARS coronavirus from the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. AJ subsequently joined the University of Oxford as Marie Curie/Rubicon fellow and Henry Welcome fellow to study influenza virus replication in the laboratories of Prof Ervin Fodor and Prof Achilles Kapanidis. He also taught at Lincoln College, Oxford, as Kemp Research fellow. In 2017, AJ started his own research group at the University of Cambridge with a Henry Dale fellowship from the Wellcome Trust and Royal Society. In 2021, AJ moved his lab to Princeton University, where his research focuses on how RNA viruses replicate and induce innate immune responses.

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Michael Oade, PhD

Michael joined us in April 2020 from the University of Glasgow and Pirbright Institute where he studied the avian coronavirus, infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). His research focused on identifying the mechanism of IBV attenuation and characterizing non-canonical gammacoronavirus transcripts. 

At Princeton, he is interested in studying viral polymerases, especially when they go wrong! His current research investigates how aberrant RNA species, namely mvRNAs, can be synthesized by the influenza polymerase and explores the template-switching mechanism which drives the formation of these RNAs. Outside of the lab, Michael is a keen gamer (both video and board), swimmer, and loves eating out at restaurants.

Karishma Bisht, MS, PhD

Karishma joined us in 2021 after obtaining her PhD from Texas Tech University. Her dissertation focused on studying the impact of environmental stressors on the biofilm formed by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and identifying potential therapeutic targets. She then switched gears and for her postdoc, decided to explore the virology world.

In the te Velthuis lab she is interested in studying the effect of stress, specifically temperature, on aberrant RNA synthesis and innate immune response in different host-relevant conditions. Outside of the lab, she enjoys watching Sci-Fi movies, hiking, and traveling.

Elizaveta Elshina, MS, PhD

Elizaveta joined the lab in 2018 to investigate the mechanisms behind the immunostimulatory mutations in the viral polymerase. She did her MSc at the University of Zurich, where she studied nuclear entry of the influenza virus ribonucleoproteins. Before that she also worked at the University of Oxford in pre-clinical vaccine development and earned her BSc in Infectious Diseases from the University of Edinburgh.

Jingru Fang, MS, PhD

Jingru joined us in July 2024 from Scripps Research and La Jolla Institute for Immunology, where she studied the mechanism of Ebola and Lassa virus replication and the fascinating phase behavior of Ebola viral factories. She is now co-mentored by Prof. Cliff Brangwynne (ODBI). At Princeton, she will characterize the material properties of viral condensates from several pathogenic RNA viruses. She will also investigate the functional role of viral phase separation in host-virus interaction in the physiological and genetic context of different host species.

Kimberly Sabsay, PhD

Kimberly (Kimmie) completed her bachelor's degree in biochemistry and mathematics at California Polytechnic State University SLO in 2020. She officially joined the te Velthuis lab as the first Princeton graduate student in January 2021 from the Quantitative and Computational Biology (QCB) PhD program. Her PhD research was co-advised with Prof. Ned Wingreen and focused on investigating the structural and biophysical dynamics of negative-sense RNA virus genomes, with a focus on influenza A virus nucleoproteins. She defended her PhD dissertation in April 2026 and has transitioned into a post-doctoral research role in the te Velthuis lab to continue investigating genome/nucleocapsid structures beyond human and avian hosts. She aspires to transition into a career in forensics method and development.

Ben Larsen

Ben is a PhD student in the Molecular Biology program who is co-advised by AJ and Cameron Myhrvold. He joined in April 2022. Prior to coming to Princeton, Ben studied biology and biotechnology at Tufts University where his research focused on the effects of repetitive, structure-forming DNA sequences on chromosomal integrity in yeast. Having drastically shifted his focus, Ben is now interested in expanding the capabilities and utility of CRISPR-Cas13, with a specific focus on perturbing viral RNAs and probing their secondary structure. When he is not in one lab or the other, Ben enjoys solving crosswords, ingesting near-lethal doses of coffee, and arguing about basketball.

Yimei Li

Yimei Li became a lab member in May 2023, from Quantitative and Computational Biology (QCB) PhD Program. Yimei is co-advised by Prof. AJ te Velthuis, Prof. Simon Levin, and Prof. Bryan Grenfell. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where her research focused on single-cell analysis and machine learning. Throughout her doctoral studies, she aims to delve into the investigation of disease dynamics, encompassing both within-host and between-host perspectives.

Kaleigh Remick

Kaleigh joined the lab in April 2023 from the Molecular Biology PhD program. Prior to coming to Princeton, she studied biology at Cornell University, where her research with Dr. John Helmann focused on metal ion homeostasis of Bacillus subtilis. In the te Velthuis Lab, she is interested in studying how RNA secondary structures affect influenza virus infection. Outside of lab, you can find her reading lots of books, walking to one of Princeton’s many ice cream shops, or bartending at the graduate student bar. 

Samantha Brokaw

Samantha joined the lab in 2024 from the Molecular Biology PhD program. Samantha is co-advised by Dr. Daniel Notterman. Prior to coming to Princeton, Samantha earned her bachelors in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Rutgers University, where she researched transcription factor regulatory capacity in bacteria in Dr. Ann Stock's lab. Her interest in gene regulation and its potential implications in host-pathogen interactions carried over to her work at Princeton, where she focuses on understanding host-pathogen interactions during human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection. She is particularly interested in the ways in which HCMV hijacks host pathways to promote its replication.

Ahn Young Jeong

Ahn Young obtained her master's degree in Bioscience from the University of Science and Technology at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology. Throughout her master's program, she developed built-in RNA adjuvants for DNA vaccines, specifically utilizing miniviral RNAs from the influenza virus. At the moment, she focuses on understanding how influenza virus generates and utilizes aberrant RNAs, and how these elements influence viral replication and host immune response. Outside the lab, she copes with failed experiments by hitting the gym, overanalyzing life with her friends over coffee, or dancing is all out at music festivals. 

Meriel McGovern

Meriel joined the lab in 2026 through the Molecular Biology PhD program. Before coming to Princeton, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology at Roger Williams University, where her research focused on the microbiome of Rhode Island’s state coral, Astrangia poculata. She then worked as a research technician in the Zallen Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, studying cell adhesion and cytoskeletal dynamics in Drosophila development. In the te Velthuis Lab, Meriel is interested in understanding the complex interactions between influenza virus infection and the host immune response. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, arts and crafts, and spending time outdoors.

Ethan Mandojana

Ethan is a junior in the Molecular Biology department. He joined the lab in August 2024. His research is focused on using optogenetic nanobodies to manipulate influenza polymerase activity. Outside of lab, you can find him getting outside to hike, playing violin, watching soccer, football, and hockey, or reading anything from sci-fi to philosophy.

Jake Tessnow

Jake is a sophomore and a prospective Molecular Biology major. He joined the lab in 2025. His research is centered around the purification and characterization of the PB2 subunit of influenza polymerase, and potentially upscaling purification procedures. Outside of the lab, he plays the French Horn for the Princeton University Orchestra and is an Orange Key tour guide. He also enjoys cycling and playing the piano.

Mercy Koskey

Mercy is a sophomore majoring in Molecular Biology. She is interested in infectious diseases and is currently investigating the effect of temperature on RNA synthesis in influenza virus. Outside the lab, she enjoys watching rom-coms, reading novels, photography, getting boba from Junbi, and going on walks.

• Dharmil Bhavsar - Undergraduate student  (2024-2026)
• Meghan Hickey - Undergraduate student  (2024-2026)
• Eric Zheung - Undergraduate student  (2023-2026)
• Caitlin Lamb- Graduate student (2022-2026)
• Narender Kumar - Postdoc (2023-2026)
• Sean Ajufo - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2024-2025)
• Kiara Marie Wassoodew - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2024-2025)
• Sokol Hoxha - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2024-2025)
• Shirley Yang - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2023-2024)
• Jiyoun Roh -  Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2022-2024)
• David Song - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2022-2024)
• Mary Elizabeth Adler - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2023-2024)
• Charlotte Rigby - Graduate student at University of Cambridge. (2020-2023)
• Emmanuelle Pitre - Graduate student at University of Cambridge. (2019-2023)
• Weston Carpenter - Undergraduate student at Princeton University. (2021-2022)
• Thomas Vial - Postdoc at University of Cambridge/Amsterdam University Medical Center.
• Ingrida Olendraite - Postdoc at University of Cambridge.
• Hollie French - Research assistant at University of Cambridge.
• Esther de Boer - University of Amsterdam and funded by Erasmus+.
• Annika Ranta - Karolinska Institute and funded by Biochemical Society.
• Margarita Lazaridis - University of Tulin and funded by Erasmus+.
• Alannah King - University of Cambridge part II student.
• Sofia Weiss - University of Cambridge and funded by Microbiology Society.
• Alexandra Moderc - University of Lyon
• Sabrina Weis - University of Heidelberg and funded by Erasmus+
• Judith Oymans - University of Utrecht and funded by Erasmus+.
• Thomas Stubbs - University of Oxford Biochemistry part II student.