Dr. Abigail Koppes-
Principal Investigator

Kat Nilov

Interested in the overlap of space science and the gut-brain-axis, Kat will be taking the NASA SHINE class in 2023 to learn about radiation risk and impact on human health. This interest will lead to the development of stem-cell derived humanized models and eventually the investigation of exogenous forces impact on human nerve, gut, and microbiota response. They hope to develop a deeper understanding of health challenges exhibited by those in space and on earth.

Kat began their PhD in chemical engineering with ABNEL this year, co-advised with Professor Luke Landherr. Prior to Northeastern, Kat completed their bachelors in chemical engineering with a minor in chemistry. They did research in the field of complex coacervates with the Sarah Perry Lab at UMass Amherst. Kat was also involved in projects developing microfluidic chips to synthesize and purify mRNA sponsored by the Craig Martin Lab at UMass. They are committed to making science safe and accessible, implementing pedagogical values in all their work.

B.S. Chemical Engineering
University of Massachusetts Amherst ’22
Amherst, MA

Abby Featured in Northeastern University Feature Article

Abby is featured in a News@Northeastern article titled, “If cells could talk … actually, they do. But what are they saying?” Details included below: Abigail Koppes, assistant professor of chemical engineering, is isolating cell groups on tiny plastic chips, enabling her team to observe the specific roles of cells that have gotten lost in the noise […]

ABNEL Welcomes New PhD Students Kyla and Kirstie

ABNEL welcomes Kyla Nichols and Kirstie Belanger as new PhD students.  Kyla comes from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (B.S. Biomedical Engineering) and Kirstie is joining on rotation from the University of Maine (B.S. Biomedical Engineering).