Aakriti Gangwal - Postdoctoral Fellow

Hi, I’m Aakriti! I have a background in biochemistry with a PhD from India, where I studied how protein phosphorylation regulates bacterial pathogens. My research interests revolve around understanding how kinases and phosphatases control microbial infections and using that knowledge to develop new ways to tackle infectious diseases.

I joined Shirit’s Lab at Stanford in 2023 to expand my expertise in kinase biochemistry and virology. Currently, I’m investigating how cellular kinases influence viral trafficking and infection, with a focus on host-directed broad-spectrum antiviral strategies. I’ve been fortunate to receive the Stanford School of Medicine’s Dean’s Fellowship (2024) and the PhRMA Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery Targets and Pathways (2025).

Outside of research, I love spending time outdoors. Since moving to California, I’ve really started enjoying hiking, stargazing, and just exploring nature. I also like painting and cooking—they’re my go-to stress busters!

Chieh Wen Lo - Postdoctoral Fellow

I earned my Ph.D. in infectious disease control science from the University of Tokyo as a University of Tokyo Fellow. My research focused on virus-host interactions to identify host biomarkers for disease prediction and on light-based technologies for SARS-CoV-2 inactivation. I joined the Einav lab in March 2022, where I study direct-acting antivirals targeting alphaviruses and SARS-CoV-2, host-targeted broad-spectrum antivirals, mechanisms of drug resistance, and therapeutic strategies for SARS-CoV-2-induced lung fibrosis. My work integrates a novel lung organoid model, mouse models, molecular virology techniques, and single-cell RNA sequencing approaches.

Do Tran - LSRP 1/ Lab Manager

I earned my MSc in Microbiology at the University of Natural Science, Vietnam. Before joining to Einav lab, I worked as Research Assistant in Oxford University Clinical Research Unit. I had been involved in a number of projects investigating the etiology and epidemiology of various Gram-negative pathogens causing diarrheal disease as well as hospital-acquired infections. I joined the Einav lab in Sept 2021, where I am responsible for ordering and maintaining lab equipment and supplies, monitoring lab inventory, and conducting standard experimental procedures.

Desiree Rodrigues Placa - Postdoctoral Fellow

I earned my PhD in Science, Pharmacy, and Pathophysiology from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, where I focused on unraveling the immune response to dengue virus (DENV) to inform the development of safer and more effective vaccines. Using an integrative systems immunology approach, I identified key immune determinants shared between DENV vaccines and natural infection. Additionally, my research provided a phenotypic characterization of DENV-specific T cell subtypes, shedding light on their differentiation mechanisms in dengue patients.

Since beginning my postdoctoral training at the Einav Lab in November 2024, I have generated high-quality CITE-seq data from dengue patients and have been leading its analysis to refine our understanding of the dengue immune response. My work explores the interplay between T cells and their regulatory mechanisms (e.g., exhaustion) with innate immunity (e.g., myeloid cell function and IFN responses) and their impact on disease pathogenesis. These insights will contribute to advancing novel strategies for dengue prevention and treatment.

Since beginning my postdoctoral training at the Einav Lab in November 2024, I have generated high-quality CITE-seq data from dengue patients and have been leading its analysis to refine our understanding of the dengue immune response. My work explores the interplay between T cells and their regulatory mechanisms (e.g., exhaustion) with innate immunity (e.g., myeloid cell function and IFN responses) and their impact on disease pathogenesis. These insights will contribute to advancing novel strategies for dengue prevention and treatment.

Manjari Mishra  - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I obtained my Ph.D. in membrane biophysics and chemical biology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India. During my PhD I studied the multitude roles of pathogenic lipids of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in altering host cellular functions via modulation of host membrane organization and signaling responses. 

I joined the Einav lab in July 2022. Here, my research focuses on understanding the roles of lipid kinases in the life cycle of coronaviruses and as targets for antiviral strategies. My long-term goal develop broad-spectrum, pan-coronavirus antivirals to counter future pandemics. I am grateful for being surrounded by fantastic scientists and for the high-quality environment I am working in. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and traveling.

Research gate id: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Manjari-Mishra-3

Verónica Durán - Postdoctoral Research Fellow

I obtained my Ph.D. in Immunology and Microbiology at the Hannover Medical School, Germany, where I studied innovative drug delivery systems targeting human immune cells. I hold an M.Sc in Molecular Bioengineering from the Technical University Dresden, Germany and a B.Sc in Microbiology from the University of The Andes, Colombia. My research at the Einav lab focuses on understanding host factors involved in the immune response to Dengue virus (DENV) and how they determine disease presentation and severity. The work relies on PBMC and serum samples derived from a large (>500 patients) cohort of dengue patients that the Einav lab has established in Colombia. Veronica’s longer-term goal is to validate candidate biomarkers to predict progression to severe dengue for the development of molecular prognostic assays as well as new preventive and therapeutic interventions.

Manon Gourdelier - Postdoctoral Fellow

I obtained my Ph.D. in Health Biology in December 2022 at the University of Montpellier in France. During my thesis, I studied how HIV-1, Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 hijack the actin mechanism and put forward the use of a new cofactor in infection by these viruses dependent on their replication cycle. Following my thesis, I did a postdoc at the Institut Imagine in Paris, where I worked on the development of a treatment for chronic asthma using ASO. I started my postdoc at Stanford in Shirit Einav's lab in April 2024, where I began by studying direct-acting antivirals targeting SARS-CoV-2. Since October 2024, I have been developing and setting up a neurobiology project in our laboratory, seeking to develop new therapies to treat ALS based on an understanding of the autophagy mechanism within the cell. My work integrates the induction of ALS patient neurons from hiPSCs. Our project was fortunate enough to be selected for Stanford's SPARK program.

Lennart Hermanussen - Postdoctoral Fellow

I earned my medical degree from the University of Hamburg, Germany, where I also conducted my doctoral research on hepatitis D virus, focusing on virus-host interactions and intergenotypic dynamics. Following this, I completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Leibniz Institute of Virology, Germany, during which I established a novel lymphoid tissue organoid model permissive to HIV infection.

I also gained four years of clinical experience at the I. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. During that time, I contributed to translational research projects as a Clinical Scientist within the iDfellows program.

Since April 2025, I have been working in the Einav Lab, focusing on Zika virus (ZIKV). ZIKV infection during fetal development can cause congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), including microcephaly, in 6–12% of cases. The factors determining ZIKV infection outcome remain unclear, though host genetics likely play a key role.

We study a unique cohort of dizygotic twins infected with ZIKV in utero, where only one twin developed CZS. In collaboration with the NeoPasca Lab, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford Medicine, we generate brain organoids from these twins’ induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and infect them with ZIKV to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms and identify host factors influencing disease outcome. Our approach includes imaging, network analysis, RNA/DNA sequencing, and epigenetic profiling to reveal the contributions of specific cell types and pathways.