our team
Brendon Davis
(He/Him)
President
Brendon is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology and Biophysics (CMDB) program at the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences of Johns Hopkins University. Brendon's research focuses on stem cell epigenetics, specifically histone dynamics during DNA replication and the epigenetic mechanisms that specify cell fate during stem cell division. In addition to his research, Brendon is interested in bioethics conversations surrounding the use of novel genetic and stem cell treatments, as well as federal and local policy to support foundational research and improve environmental sustainability. Prior to enrolling at Johns Hopkins, Brendon received bachelor's degrees in biology and mathematics from the University of Washington, where he was a Mary Gates Research Scholar.
Brendon is also on the leadership board of symBIOsis, providing biology graduate students with academic and professional development, and he assists with scientific outreach projects to students in Baltimore public schools through the BioEYES Project. He additionally organizes high-profile scientific speaker visits as part of the Thomas Hunt Morgan Lecture Committee. In his free time, Brendon enjoys powerlifting, traveling, reading, and petting his two cats.
John Soltis
Vice President for Science Policy
John is a Lasker Postdoctoral Fellow at Space Telescope Science Institute, researching machine learning applications to astronomy. He received a PhD in astronomy and astrophysics from Johns Hopkins University in 2025. John has advocated for better science policy in a variety of ways, including by participating in multiple Congressional Visit Days. He has worked with the American Astronomical Society, the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and the Johns Hopkins Science Policy and Diplomacy Group. John is also a co-author on International STEM Graduate Students: A Key to Strengthening the American Economy and Building Competitiveness, published in the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. As Vice President of Science Policy, John hopes to continue advocating for robust science funding, STEM-related immigration reform, and to aid the professional development of other PhD students who are interested in science policy.
Lucie Dequiedt
Vice President for Science Diplomacy
Lucie is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering. Her doctoral research is focused on leveraging advanced computational methods in 3D digital pathology, with a special interest for the characterization of healthy and diseased 3D renal architecture. She is also an active part of different international collaborative research efforts to improve early detection of pancreatic cancer in individuals at high-risk of developing the disease. She received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and a Master of Science in biomedical engineering from the University of Liege, Belgium.
Lucie is especially passionate about global efforts to mitigate the systemic effects of climate change. She is also an advocate for women’s rights, particularly related to women’s health and education. She is eager to bring her international background and scientific expertise to the science diplomacy conversation. Outside of research, she is the social chair for the ChemBE Graduate Student Liaison Committee.
Mara Lanis
Science Policy Coordinator
Mara is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where her research focuses on applying nano- and microtechnology-based approaches to study T cell biology and enhance the effectiveness of adoptive cell therapies to treat cancer. Her work aims to advance next-generation immunotherapies by uncovering fundamental mechanisms of immune cell function and developing tools to improve therapeutic design.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Rochester and received a certificate in Maternal and Child Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, reflecting her broader interest in the intersection of cutting-edge biomedical research and public health.
Beyond her research, Mara serves as the East Baltimore Lead Coordinating Steward for Teachers and Researchers United (TRU), the graduate worker union at Johns Hopkins, where she advocates for fair working conditions and stronger support for graduate students. She is passionate about science communication, equity in health and education, and the role of evidence-based policy in improving health outcomes.
Outside of the lab, Mara enjoys speed puzzling, cross-stitching, traveling with her husband, and snuggling with her two cats.
Natasha Ninan
Science Policy Coordinator
Natasha is a second-year Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student at the Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering. Her research focuses on high-speed optical systems, with an emphasis on its applications in space and advanced imaging. Her current work uses fiber-optic interferometry to measure and improve the performance of these systems.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Akron. During her undergraduate years, she completed internships in space electronics, space robotics, and nanophotonics. These experiences sparked her interest in engineering optical systems for deep-space navigation and quantum sensing.
Beyond research, she is interested in science policy, particularly in aerospace and quantum initiatives. She has participated in Hill Day with the Johns Hopkins Science Policy and Diplomacy Group and advocated, alongside other students, for sustained science funding amid proposed agency cuts. As a policy coordinator, she plans to organize events where students can engage in research advocacy.
In the long term, she plans to contribute to advances in aerospace and quantum technologies while helping shape the policies that guide their development and use.
Yiguang Zhu
Science Policy Coordinator
Yiguang Zhu is a PhD candidate in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. His work sits at the intersection of health policy and biomedical research. His doctoral research aims to advance the validation and regulatory acceptance of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to reduce animal testing. Yiguang optimized and evaluated human-relevant models (e.g., cardiac organoids and tissue chips) and translates evidence into validation frameworks for regulatory adoption. He contributes to advocacy through the JHU Toxicology Policy Program and health policy internships. Yiguang holds a B.S. in Environmental Systems Engineering from Penn State and an ScM from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In his free time, he enjoys writing and mixology.
Berk Kasimcan
Science Diplomacy Coordinator
Berk is a Master of Science student in Mechanical Engineering and Robotics at Johns Hopkins University, where he works in the Hand Articulation & Neurotraining Device (HAMR) Lab. He is designing and programming experimental pipelines that combine haptic (vibration/pressure) and visual feedback to improve neurorehabilitation for stroke survivors. His projects involve custom hardware, advanced VR/graphics pipelines, piezoelectric pumps, and force sensors to measure micro-forces and explore new models of sensorimotor learning.
Before coming to Johns Hopkins, Berk earned both his B.S. and M.S. in Bioengineering at George Mason University, where he focused on biomedical imaging, device design, and biomechanics. He was awarded the GMU Bioengineering Department Chair Award and multiple Capstone awards for his work on sustainable hydrogel desalination devices and quantitative hand assessment tools. His research experience spans several global and interdisciplinary labs, including Harvard’s Aizenberg Group (nanostructured liquid windows for sustainable energy), the University of Michigan’s Shtein Lab (drug formulation and medical printing technologies), and the University of Otago in New Zealand (3D anatomical modeling and neuroengineering studies).
Berk is passionate about how rehab technologies, robotics, haptics, medical devices, and bioscience, intersect with science policy and diplomacy. His work focuses on advancing equitable access to neurorehabilitation tools through rehabilitation and accessibility policy, and medical technology regulation to get novel bio-devices to market quickly and safely. He also wants to build global science diplomacy by collaborating across borders to address shared health and sustainability challenges, with a focus on neurotechnology and renewable energy.
Outside the lab, Berk is preparing for a career that bridges engineering, policy, and global diplomacy, and hopes to apply his technical skills to public service and international cooperation in science and technology.
Emeritus Members:
Isabel Jimenez: Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine | Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University
Delia Friel: M.D., ongoing
Corinna Torabi: Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering
Lauren Hesse: M.S. in Biomedical/Medical Engineering | Vogel Group
Nick Zhang: Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering | Eagleton Science and Politics Fellow 2025-2026
Ona Ambrozaite: Ph.D. in Chemistry | US East Coast Director of the UK Science and Technology Network
Vivian Su: Ph.D. Candidate | Materials Science and Engineering | JHU KSAS
Gihan Sherif Elhadidy: Ph.D. | International Affairs | JHU SAIS
Ryan Posthumus: Master of Arts | Strategy, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence (MASCI) | JHU SAIS
Nathan Van Damme: Master of Science | Mechanical Engineering | Johns Hopkins University
Kevin Prasad: Masters Student, Biotechnology
Piyusha Mongia: Ph.D. Student, Department of Biological Chemistry
Bernat Navarro Serer: Program Officer - Global Sustainability and Development | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Brandi Glover: Ph.D. Candidate | Wood Lab | Department of Pathology
Sabrina Khan: Ph.D. Student, Department of Earth & Planetary Science
Kirsten Butner: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Master of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
Nate Laughner: Ph.D. Candidate | Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Dezmond Cole: Ph.D. Candidate | Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology (BCMB) program at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine