Spotlight on Chemical and Biological Engineering

Student highlight

Name: Briana Lino
Degree: PhD in Biotechnology Engineering
Faculty lab: Bright Futures Assistant Professor James Van Deventer
Hometown: Somerville, MA

Why Tufts?
The small class sizes and emphasis on mentorship really drew me in. It was important for me to have that strong sense of community and individual encouragement that Tufts offers, especially when going through a rigorous doctoral degree program. It is clear that the faculty and staff want you to succeed and will go the extra mile to make you feel supported.

Favorite thing about living in the Medford/Somerville and Boston area?
As far as student life, the ability to walk to some fantastic restaurants, museums, parks, etc. really makes weekends and after-hours fun. There is no shortage of things to do in the area. Since the greater Boston area is packed with colleges and universities, many events and local happenings are tailored to students, creating a really unique and exciting environment. Boston also happens to be the top biotech hub in the country so there are also a myriad of networking events and job opportunities waiting for us when we graduate. 

Any advice you’d give to prospective students or new graduate students?
Don't be afraid to ask questions! Everyone coming into this program has a different academic and experiential background. I did my undergrad in biochemistry so there was a fair amount of chemical engineering 'common knowledge' I had to make up in my first couple years. The best thing I did was go to office hours (and sometimes request extra!). Professors are so willing to meet you halfway and take the extra time to help you master a concept. You just need to be willing to ask all the questions and speak up if you don't understand something. It will only make you a better student, researcher, and scientist.

I would also recommend getting involved with on campus organizations. I am currently part of the Graduate Student Council, the Tufts Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering Society (BEaChES), and Tufts' chapter of the Graduate Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Through these orgs, I have found a really great community among the graduate students and made so many new friends along the way! 

Faculty highlight

Name: Bright Futures Assistant Professor James Van Deventer
Research interests: Synthetic biology, chemical biology, protein engineering, antibody engineering, drug discovery, genetic code expansion, noncanonical amino acids, and tumor microenvironment.

About Professor Van Deventer: 
James Van Deventer received his BS in chemical engineering from Stanford University and completed MS and PhD degrees at the California Institute of Technology. He is currently interested in using biomolecular engineering, synthetic biology, and chemical biology to establish new strategies for treating cancer and other complex diseases. His lab group is focused on disrupting enzymatic and signaling processes within the tumor microenvironment. The laboratory is enhancing the chemical versatility of yeast display in order to support the discovery of inhibitors that combine the best properties of chemical compounds and proteins (biologics).