Meet The Team

The Communication Fellows are trained to provide constructive feedback and to conduct peer coaching – teaching clients skills and ideas that will help them improve their written, visual, and oral research communication. Ultimately, the Comm Lab hopes to empower scientists to successfully convey the impact of their work through clear scientific communication.

Maya Peters Kostman

Communication Fellow
Graduate Student, Biology, Larkin Lab
they/them

Maya received their BA in Molecular and Cell Biology, and Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley where they worked in the Lab of Ehud Isacoff and taught organic chemistry study groups. They’re excited about the intersections of science, art and education and have worked with the communications teams at the Innovative Genomics Institute and Addgene to create multimedia educational resources and science illustrations. Now working in the Larkin Lab, Maya studies signaling dynamics in biofilms and continues to combine art and science through figure design and science illustration. Outside the lab they can be found doing art and trying to not buy more plants.

James Robson

Communication Fellow
Graduate Student, BME, Green Lab
he/him

James received his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University where he worked in the lab of Catherine Klapperich to develop molecular and microfludic assays, and low-cost, point-of-care diagnostics. Now in the Green Lab, he is interested in high-throughput screening and computational methods to analyze large NGS datasets for improved diagnostic design and validation. He is passionate about using his unique studies in music performance (saxophone) and engineering for creative problem solving. Through work with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the College of Engineering, he has worked extensively to expand access to educational resources, thus making STEM careers more accessible by developing multimedia curriculum, teaching, and tutoring. Outside the lab he can be found in local orchestras playing woodwinds, baking, or taking care of his (many) plants.

Cristina Tous

Communication Fellow
Graduate Student, BME, Wong Lab

Cristina completed her B.S. in biomedical engineering at the University of Maryland, in College Park. She is a third year PhD student in Wilson Wong’s lab working on optogenetic circuits in mammalian cell systems. In her free time she enjoys exploring the city, listening to her favorite podcasts and making new friends! Cristina is happy to talk through your writing and presentations to help you get the most concise and aesthetically pleasing results possible.

Katie Breuckman

Communication Fellow
Graduate Student, MCBB, Khalil & Hao Labs
she/her or they/them

Katie completed their B.S. in chemistry at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a second year PhD student, co-advised by Drs. Mo Khalil and Liang Hao in the BME department. She is currently evolving proteases towards therapeutic targets via yeast surface display techniques. When not in the lab, you can find Katie out adventuring (running, rock climbing, and hiking) or staying in to watch Studio Ghibli movies and obsessing over her two dwarf lionhead rabbits. Katie looks forward to assisting you with your writing process and lending a detail-oriented eye to presentations and illustrations.

Hellen Huang

Communication Fellow
Graduate Student, MCBB, Dunlop Lab

Hellen received her BS in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Neuroscience from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Before starting her PhD, she worked in Mark Bathe’s lab, focusing on DNA origami. She is currently a 5th-year PhD student in Mary Dunlop’s lab, where she studies bacterial optogenetic activation at the single-cell level. In her free time, Hellen enjoys reading, running, and attending concerts. She looks forward to assisting you with your writing and figure-making process!

Joshua Finkelstein

Program Director
Executive Director, Biological Design Center
he/him

Dr. Joshua Finkelstein is the executive director of the Boston University Biological Design Center, where he is responsible for the strategic, communications, and operational aspects of the center’s activities, both facilitating the center’s growth and promoting its science on the global platform. He received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from McGill University in 1998, his Ph.D. in Chemistry & Chemical Biology from Harvard University in 2004, and an M.P.H. with a focus on International Public Health from Johns Hopkins University in 2007. He was a senior editor and team leader at the scientific journal Nature from 2004–2016, where his areas of responsibility included chemistry, chemical biology, single-molecule biophysics, protein engineering and design, metabolic engineering, membrane transport (including ion channels and transporters), and G-protein coupled receptors. Before coming to Boston University, he was the deputy director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University, where he worked closely with Dr. Michael Levin and other center faculty to develop and implement the Allen Center’s strategic plan and long-term goals. In addition, he oversaw the day-to-day research and technology development operations of the center and was responsible for scientific communications, grant writing, IT and knowledge infrastructure, intellectual property, and business development efforts.

Program Alumni

Akshata Sonni, Program Director

Jessica Tytell, Program Director

Imane El Meouche, Communication Fellow

Achini Opathalage, Communication Fellow

Luis Ortiz, Communication Fellow

Nikunja Kolluri, Communication Fellow

Chris Sloas, Communication Fellow

Juliann Tefft, Communication Fellow

Chiara Ricci-Tam, Communication Fellow

Michael Sheets, Communication Fellow