Alumni

Swarali Paranjape

2024 - 2025, Research Assistant

M.Sc. Biotechnology, Northeastern University (Boston), 2024

B.Sc. Pharmacy, Institute of Chemical Technology (Mumbai), 2022

Swarali graduated from Northeastern University with a master’s degree in biotechnology. At the NOVA lab, she primarily worked on in vitro assessment of NIR fluorophores.

Her focus was on assay development to evaluate cellular uptake and inhibition, and MTT-based live-dead assays. She also led a project to assess the brain delivery efficacy and tissue biodistribution of an NIR-drug conjugate. For this, she conducted pharmacokinetic and biodistribution studies in mouse models, evaluating their plasma half-life and renal clearance properties. She also led several lab management activities, including animal inventory and breeding management, and routine mammalian cell culture.

She is now continuing her career at Dr. Fabrisia Ambrosio’s lab at the Spaulding Research Institute, Harvard Medical School.

Contact Info

149 13th St. Rm 5.106

Charlestown, MA 02129 

Publications

1.     Paranjape S, Choi KY, Kashiwagi S, Choi HS: H-Dots: Renal Clearable Zwitterionic Nanocarriers for Disease Diagnosis and Therapy. Langmuir 2025, 41(4), 2111–2123

Wes Stiles

2021 - 2025, Research Assistant

B.Sc. in Chemistry, Northeastern University, 2019

Wes is a 2019 Northeastern University graduate with a degree in Chemistry and minors in Mathematics and Biology. His work focused on developing nanoplatforms for drug delivery and imaging applications.

Wes has led projects ranging from the intranasal delivery of deferoxamine (DFO) nanoparticles for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases to the development of iron nanochelators, advancing both synthetic design and large-scale manufacturing approaches. He has conducted extensive in vivo studies in rodent models, including pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, efficacy, and toxicity assessments, as well as detailed renal dynamics and excretion analyses.

His expertise spans organic synthesis, nanoparticle characterization (UV-VIS, NMR, LC-MS, ICP-MS, MALDI, FPLC/GFC), and in vivo imaging using NIR fluorescence imaging systems. Beyond the bench, Wes serves as a Medical Editor, providing manuscript editing support for publications, and has co-authored over ten peer-reviewed publications. Notable publications include the following:

1.     Kang H, Stiles WR, Baek Y, Nomura S, Bao K, Hu S, Park GK, Jo MJ, I H, Coll JL et al: Renal Clearable Theranostic Nanoplatforms for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. Adv Mater 2020, 32(6):e1905899.

2.     Kang H, Rho S, Stiles WR, Hu S, Baek Y, Hwang DW, Kashiwagi S, Kim MS, Choi HS: Size-Dependent EPR Effect of Polymeric Nanoparticles on Tumor Targeting. Adv Healthc Mater 2020, 9(1):e1901223.

3.     Park SH, Kim RS, Stiles WR, Jo M, Zeng L, Rho S, Baek Y, Kim J, Kim MS, Kang H, Choi HS: Injectable Thermosensitive Hydrogels for a Sustained Release of Iron Nanochelators. Adv Sci (Weinh) 2022, 9(15):e2200872.

4.     Jones G, Zeng L, Stiles WR, Park SH, Kang H, Choi HS, Kim J: Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Deferoxamine-Based Nanochelator in Rats. Nanomedicine 2022, 17(22).

5.     Yamashita A, Park SH, Zeng L, Stiles WR, Ahn S, Bao K, Kim J, Kang H, Choi HS: H-Dot Mediated Nanotherapeutics Mitigate Systemic Toxicity of Platinum-Based Anticancer Drugs. Int J Mol Sci 2023, 24(20).

6.     Cui Y, Park SH, Stiles WR, Yamashita A, Dinh J, Kim RS, Zhang Y, Yin X, Baek Y, Wang H et al: Renal Clearable H-Dots Leveraging Ligand Complexation for Enhanced Active Tumor Targeting. Small Sci 2024, 4(11):2400246.

7.     Kang H, Park SH, Ozmen GE, Hur W, Dinh J, Wang H, Nguyen V, Ahn S, Yamashita A, Stiles WR et al: Cartilage-targeting fluorophores for early detection of arthritis in the NIR-II window. Chem 2025,11(8):102481

Jason Dinh

2021 - 2024, Research Assistant

M.D. Candidate, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, 2026

B.Sc. in Premedical & Health Studies, MCPHS University, 2019

He had research experiences in various microbiological tests on infectious bacteria during his undergraduate studies. He is examining the synthesis of micelles and J-aggregates of contrast agents to enhance their optical properties and tissue binding, performing a biodistribution study, and managing the lab. 

In addition to work, he likes playing soccer, reading, and traveling. He is also a licensed EMT.

Vy Nguyen

2022, Research Intern

M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, 2023

B.Sc. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, MCPHS University, 2019

Vy completed her Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at Northeastern University. During her time at the NOVA Lab, she gained extensive experience working with small molecules and nanoparticles in vivo, performing mouse biodistribution imaging using K-Flare and NIR-II imaging systems to differentiate tumor and inflammation sites, and measuring the optical properties of various dyes of interest. She also participated in cell culture and maintenance procedures, gaining a broad understanding of translational nanomedicine research. 

Vy is now continuing her scientific journey as a Research Scientist II at Novartis.