People

Undergraduate Researcher

Undergraduate Researcher

Undergraduate Researcher

Shivangi is from Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, and is completing her B.S. in Biology and Health: Science, Society & Policy at Brandeis University. Her research in the BHPL, "PERT for Students in School" examines how the physiology of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency should inform school health policy for students who depend on enzyme therapy to digest food. She is passionate about building community through creative therapies and interventions that improve health outcomes for women and children. She has carried this into cervical cancer diagnoses research, therapeutic dance programming at REACH, and direct patient care. Outside the lab, she enjoys staying active, reading, and spends time co-captaining Chak De bollywood dance team, serving as a community advisor, and helping students navigate the biology major at Brandeis as an undergraduate department representative.

Undergraduate Researcher

Undergraduate Researcher

Kyle is from Connecticut and is pursuing a B.S. in Health: Science, Society & Policy at Brandeis University. He is passionate about medicine and aspires to become a physician, with particular interests in sports medicine, human performance, and expanding access to quality healthcare for underserved communities. He hopes to bridge his interests in health, science, and patient care to better understand how evidence-based approaches can improve health outcomes and quality of life. Outside of academics, Kyle serves on the executive boards of Salvation Youth and the Brandeis African Student Organization (BASO), where he enjoys building community and contributing to campus life. In his free time, he also enjoys cooking, playing basketball, singing, and spending time with friends.

Undergraduate Researcher

Hi, my name is Madison Safar, and I am a senior here at Brandeis. I am studying biology, HSSP (Health: Science, Society, and Policy), as well as psychology. I have been a member of the Human Performance Lab since last fall. Not only has HPL connected me with others with similar passions, but it has also allowed me to create and conduct independent research in collaboration with the Brandeis Women's Soccer team. The study focuses on the intended and experienced training intensity, physical and mental fatigue, and injury rates over a three-year period through the collection of data from in-person physical assessments and online questionnaires. 

MS Biotechnology MS '26

BS HSSP and Biology'25

Current Position: Clinical Research Coordinator at MGH

Destiny is from Kennesaw, Georgia, and graduated from Brandeis University with a B.S. in HSSP and Biology. She also completed her Master of Science in Biotechnology at Brandeis. Destiny has diverse research experience, having conducted both academic and industry research in the biological sciences. Her research in the BHPL was "Exploring the Effects of Dance on Mental and Physical Health," focusing on outcomes including POMS, PSS, RSE, SQS, and Sit and Reach, SEBT, Vertical Jump, and Astrand Test for approximated VO2 max. Her passion for this research originates from observing hip, knee, and spine injuries within dance and gymnastics, driving her passion for sports medicine and patient outcomes. In her free time, Destiny enjoys teaching and choreographing dance, reading, running, and listening to music.

Undergraduate Researcher

Current Position:  Student-Athlete at Western University

Elle is a track and field athlete from New York City and is currently pursuing a B.S. in Kinesiology with a minor in GSWS at Western University. At Brandeis, she studied Biology and was part of the 2024 QBReC cohort. She joined the BHPL in December 2025 and mainly worked on data collection, cleaning, and analysis for Destiny Kluck’s “Exploring the Effects of Dance on Mental and Physical Health”. In her future research and professional career, she hopes to shed light on effective training and rehab methods for minority athletes who are currently underrepresented in research, specifically trans-athletes on HRT. Outside of the academic sphere, Elle advocates for trans-inclusion in sports and works alongside Athlete Ally, a national non-profit fighting to end homophobia and transphobia in sports. Elle is a die-hard Mets fan, and in her free time, she loves to play video games, listen to rock/alt music, read, and write poetry. You can follow her journey and support her advocacy on Instagram @elleyungest. 

BS Biology '23

Current Position:  Medical Student at the University of Connecticut 

BS Biology and HSSP '23

Current Position: Dental Student at Boston University

Grace graduated from Brandeis University with a B.S. in Biology and HSSP, where she conducted research in the BHPL. Her research focused on building undergraduate research opportunities within the BHPL and promoting health and well-being through physical activity among Brandeis students and athletes. Through this experience, she became interested in how research can be used to promote health and well-being at both the individual and community levels. She is currently pursuing her D.M.D. at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, where she is involved in research on dental biomaterials and community-based oral health education. In her free time, Grace enjoys exploring Boston, volunteering in her community, and working on creative projects such as jewelry making and crafting.