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The Brito Lab is committed to the pursuit of scientific goals that expand our understanding of the natural world and to improve human health. Ilana and the lab are here to provide support to carry out and publish high-quality research and to meet individuals' career goals. In doing so, we value open communication based on mutual respect, scientific integrity, and good mentorship.
We celebrate diversity and strive to promote inclusion within the lab and our scientific communities.
Principal Investigator
Prof. Ilana Brito
Mong Family Sesquicentenial Faculty Scholar and Associate Prof in BME
PhD, Biology, MIT
BA, Biology and Government (dual degree), Harvard University
Ilana started at Cornell in 2016. She specializes both in the experimental and computational sides of microbiome research. She has a long-standing interest in infectious disease and global health which percolate throughout her research. She was awarded a Sloan Research Fellowship, a Packard Foundation Fellowship, Pew Biomedical Scholar and a NIH New Innovator Award. She also loves trail running and running after her chickens.
Lab Manager and Research Support Specialist
Qiaojuan Shi
Research Support Specialist and Lab Manager
BS, Microbiology, Northwest University, China
PhD, Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, China
Qiaojuan did her post-doctoral research at UCDavis before coming to Cornell. Prior to the Brito lab, she worked on transposition and DNA replication and on the human microbiome. Here in the Brito Lab, Qiaojuan manages all aspects of the lab to ensure the lab runs smoothly, in addition to managing large-scale research projects. Outside the lab, Qiaojuan enjoys spending time with her family, playing badminton and volunteering at her kids' schools.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Sandra Liliana Arias
Postdoctoral Associate
PhD, Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
MS, Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Sandra’s research focuses on understanding how the physicochemical properties of biological and abiotic interfaces regulate host-pathogen interactions. Her scientific goal is to contribute to a better understanding of how the features of the microenvironment impact microbial life and mark the onset of some disease states. Outside the lab, she enjoys hanging out with friends, cooking, and working out.
Jeffrey Cornuault
Postdoctoral Associate
PhD, Microbiology, Universite Paris-Saclay
MS, Microbiology, University Paris-Saclay
BS, Biology, University Paris-Saclay
Jeffrey is interested in the discovery of bacterial proteins involved in host-gut microbiota interactions. He aims to determine how these proteins act in host cells and how they participate in the onset of human disease. Outside the lab, he loves eating cheese, reading, playing video games and relaxing in the sun.
Graduate Students
Diana Balint
PhD student in Microbiology
BA, Microbiology, Cornell University
Diana's work revolves around studying the mobility of antibiotic resistance genes in the human microbiome. After working in the Brito Lab, she plans to continue her research on the microbiome through a PhD program. Outside of classes and research, she enjoys figure skating, reading, and playing with her cat.
Luna Eresta Jaya
PhD student in Nutrition
PhD Student in Molecular Nutrition
BSc, Biotechnology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Luna is interested in deciphering the mechanisms underlying host-microbe interactions, as well as finding ways to optimize them through dietary approaches. Prior to the Brito Lab, she worked at a medical diagnostics company in Japan. Apart from her professional pursuits, Luna loves fermenting foods and scuba diving!
Josh Jones
PhD student in Microbiology & Immunology
BS, Cellular and Molecular Biology, San Francisco State
Josh is interested in uncovering how commensal microbes affect cancer progression and the efficacy of cancer-fighting immunotherapeutics. In his free time, he enjoys riding bicycles and hiking through the hills of Ithaca and playing video games. Josh is also a recipient of a Sloan Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and is a 2021 CVG Scholar.
Daniel Lamm
PhD student in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cell Biology
NSF GRFP Recipient
B.S. Biochemistry University of Missouri
Daniel is interested in developing experimental methods to find the pathways and mechanisms through which host-microbe interactions happen in the gut. Through this work he hopes to advance our understanding of the gut microbiota's role in health and disease. In his free time Daniel enjoys getting outdoors whether it be hiking, rock climbing, or whatever the day may bring.
Yi-Yuan (Ian) Lee
PhD student in Computational Biology
MS., Computational Biology, Carnegie Mellon University
BS., Biochemical Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Ian is interested in deciphering the biological meaning in -omics data with machine learning and deep learning algorithms, especially in microbiome-host interactions and immunology. Outside of the lab, Ian loves swimming, dancing, reading, and brewing aromatic coffee.
Sarah Post
PhD student in Microbiology & Immunology
BS, Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh
Sarah works to identify proteins in the gut microbiota that interact with the host to shape host health. Outside of the lab, she's an avid swimmer/runner/biker, a general outdoor enthusiast, and loves budget-traveling to new cities. Sarah received the 2019 T32 Immunoengineering Training Fellowship!
Adarsh Singh
PhD. Student in Biomedical Engineering
BTech + MTech dual degree, Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, India
Adarsh is trying to leverage innovations in synthetic biology and genetic engineering to better understand host-microbe relationships. In his free time, he enjoys working out, watching documentaries on international politics, listening to semi-classical Indian music, and cuddling with his cat. Also, he aims to visit a list of cities on his bucket list before he turns 30.
James Stangeland
PhD candidate in Biomedical Engineering
B.S. Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University
James is interested in the protein-protein interactions between host and microbiome. He is also curious about the affects the microbiome has upon neurological health and development. Outside of the lab, he enjoys brewing interesting beers and sweet meads. He can also be found reading, painting and hiking.
Xieyue (Sharon) Xiao
PhD student in Biomedical Engineering
BS, Biotechnology, Shandong University, China
MEng, Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University
Sharon is investigating outer membrane vesicles within the microbiome. She just received her Masters of Engineering in biomedical engineering from Cornell! She loves reading, classical music and chilling out and is trying to push herself to love working out.
Jiawei (Azalea) Yang
PhD student in Microbiology
B.Eng, Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, China
Azalea has a passion for host-microbe interactions and their impact on human health. Before coming to Cornell, she worked at the Chinese Academy of Science Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology and Genenergy, a sequencing company in China, where she developed her skills in microbiology and molecular biology. Outside of work, Azalea enjoys playing the piano and exercising in the gym.
Ellen van Wijngaarden
PhD student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
B. Eng, Mechanical Engineering, York University
Ellen is interested in characterizing the material and ionic properties of soft biological materials. Her work focuses on gut mucus and biofilms under the combined supervision of Professors Brito and Silberstein. Outside of the lab she loves being active outdoors, learning languages or enjoying a coffee with a good book.
Undergraduate Students
Hannah Ceisler
Undergraduate Researcher
Hannah is planning on majoring in Biological Engineering in CALS and would like to pursue graduate studies in the future. She is currently working to understand how bacteria interact with host intestinal tissue and how this affects human health. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, hiking, playing sports, and watching sporting events, sitcoms, and horror movies.
Stanley Chen
Undergraduate Researcher
Stanley is majoring in Biometry & Statistics, and wants to pursue a graduate degree in a similar field. He is currently working on analyzing mutations within metagenomic sequencing data. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, poker, and singing with his a cappella group.
Emily Crites
Undergraduate Researcher
Emily is a computer science major minoring in biomedical engineering and is considering pursuing a graduate degree — with the goal of eventually working in the field of biotechnology. She is currently working on examining specialists and generalists within the gut microbiome. In her free time, she loves hiking, reading, thrifting, rock climbing, and cooking with loved ones.
Maya Deen
Undergraduate Researcher
Maya is planning on majoring in Computer Science and hopes to pursue a PhD in Computational Biology. She is currently working with Sarah to understand how bacteria in the microbiome interact with the host. Outside of the lab, she likes to sing, arrange music, watch sci-fi movies, travel, and spend time with family.
Rohit Lal
Undergraduate Researcher
Rohit is currently a Biometry and Statistics major, and in the future he hopes to be able to go to medical school. He is working on exploring microbiome-host protein interactions. Outside of the lab, he likes to play, watch, and talk basketball.
Jiatong (Kelly) Mei
Undergraduate Researcher
Kelly is majoring in biomedical engineering, and is planning to pursue a master’s degree in the same field. Currently, she is working with Sandra to better understand the mucus barrier in the gut. In her free time, Kelly loves to go hiking, watch films, and write Sci-Fi online.
Rahul Nath
Undergraduate Researcher
Rahul is planning on majoring in biomedical engineering and would like to pursue graduate studies in the future. He is currently working with Josh on understanding how bacteria in the microbiome affect host gene expression during colorectal cancer using imaging and computational techniques. In his free time, Rahul enjoys performing music, exploring walking trails, and reading.
Research technician
Locke Bonomo
Research technician
BS, Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Locke specializes in genetic engineering and bacterial cloning. Since graduating, they have gained diverse experience spanning academia to industry. Locke joined the lab to explore the intersection of the gut microbiome and drug delivery. Their aim is to advance this research from academia to pharmaceutical applications. Outside the lab, Locke enjoys playing PC games and gardening.
Mathew Rhee
Research technician
BA Biology, Cornell University
Matt joined us as an ungrad and is working with us as he prepares for medical school. He is currently working on tracking the sources of mobile genes in microbiomes and exploring different selection methods for commensal microbes. In his free time, Matt likes to watch movies, play frisbee, and play tennis.
Lab Alumni
(in reverse order of their departure)
Daniel worked in the lab as an undergraduate and then an MEng and is now moving onto industry!
Peter, a Microbiology student and subsequent postdoc, is joining our friends at Kanvas Biosciences!
Hector, a BBS graduate, is off to Florida for an educational research postdoc!
Our summer comp bio student from Columbia has flown home to finish up college. Grad school next!
Jesus worked with us on understanding Prevotella and will be continuing his degree in Biology and Society.
After growing many bacterial strains, JC is off to immunoengineering at UC Berkeley.
Doris is finishing up her Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship back in Belgium while eating lots of chocolate.
Albert graduated from GGD and is headed to a postdoc studying phage (his true passion) at Yale.
Hao graduated from Microbiology and is now a computational biologist at Moderna!
Carl was an REU with us in 2022 and worked on biofilms. He is currently finishing up his degree at Amherst College.
Our undergraduate researcher in BE is off doing an industry internship!
Felicia graduated from GGD and is now headed off to work for NanoString on the latest spatial sequencing technologies!
Chengqi received her MEng and worked as a technician with us! She's now pursuing her PhD in BME!
Nandika worked in the lab as a BME undergrad trying to understand the gut mucosa.
Ana was a Cornell Presidential Fellow and now is starting her lab in the BME department at the University of Florida!
Gabe is out studying for his MCAT. Good luck!
Ketaki will be graduating from Cornell's BME program and then onto graduate school!
Juan, my first PhD graduate, and a former postdoc, is now working for Quantum-Si, a protein tech start-up!
Taylor was a BME MEng student in the lab and is now doing computational biology!
Abi was an undergrad in the lab who traveled to Guatemala to study the effect of iron on the microbiome!
Alison was a student intern in the lab and is finishing up her degree in Statistics.
Our former postdoc, Alyssa, is moving to Atlanta to work with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Jeff was our summer intern. He's off to finish his final year at Ithaca College.
Our REU student from Loyola Marymount University. He's finishing up his BA and applying to PhD programs.
Our former lab tech, Rowan got his BA in BE and wants to work in data science. But first to China, to learn Chinese.
Jinghan earned her BS in BME and is headed to Columbia Mailman School of Public Health for an MPH in Epidemiology.
Cara got her MS in GGD, and is now working at the National Institutes for Health as a staff scientist.
She volunteered in the lab and is now getting her PhD at Binghamton University.
Rachel, our former technician, left to get her DVM from Cornell.