MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | RAGON INSTITUTE

Alison E. Ringel, PhD

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

B.A. Wesleyan University, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Physics

Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Molecular Biophysics

Alison Ringel is a T cell immunologist who seeks to decode how immune cells adapt to stress in healthy and diseased states. She started as an Assistant Professor in the MIT Biology Department and Core Member at the Ragon Institute in January 2022. When she’s not at the Ragon Institute, Alison loves exploring the outdoors with her family and taking her dog on squirrel-finding adventures around Jamaica Plain.

Contact: aringel at mit dot edu

  • Josh Acklin, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    B.S. University of Rochester, Microbiology and Immunology

    Ph.D. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Biomedical Sciences

    Research Interest: My research focuses on how metabolic states and environments shape the outcome of viral infections, with a current focus on HIV-1.

    Fun Fact: I play in 3 DnD campaigns and DM one!

    Contact: jacklin at mgh dot harvard dot edu

  • Andrea Cote

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S. University of New Hampshire, Biochemistry Molecular and Cellular Biology

    Research Interest: I study how glucose metabolism regulates functional specialization in T cells.

    Fun Fact: I am a triplet!

    Contact: acote at mit dot edu

  • Lillian Delacruz

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S. University of Arizona, Molecular and Cellular Biology

    Research Interest: Lillian is interested in developing new techniques to monitor metabolic dependencies and adaptations in immune cells.

    Fun Fact: In her free time, Lillian enjoys crocheting chickens and gifting them to friends and strangers.

    Contact: lrdcruz at mit dot edu

  • Abigail Gerhardt

    MIT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

    Research Interest: I’m studying the role of glucose metabolism in regulating calcium-dependent signaling in effector T cells and cancer cells.

    Fun Fact: I used to have two sheep!

    Contact: ager139 at mit dot edu

  • Keran Han

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S. University of Wisconsin - Madison, Genetics and Genomics

    Research Interest: I am interested in investigating how aging and diet alter vaccine responses in B cells.

    Fun Fact: My brother's name and my name rhyme.

    Contact: keranhan at mit dot edu

  • Zoe Jackson

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S.E Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan

    Research Interest: I am interested in understanding how metabolism shapes macrophage function in the ovarian cancer microenvironment.

    Fun Fact: I have a growing collection of photos of bridges from my travels

    Contact: zoefj at mit dot edu

  • Kendra Libby

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S. Yale, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry

    Research Interest: I want to understand how the availability of different nutrients shapes macrophage function and disease outcomes during cancer and obesity.

    Fun Fact: Since starting my PhD, I've had a bizarre range of hobbies from ballroom dancing to axe throwing and bouldering!

    Contact: klibby at mit dot edu

  • Claire McIntyre, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    B.Sc. University of Strathclyde, Immunology and Pharmacology

    M.Res. University of Glasgow, Biomedical Sciences

    Ph.D. University of Glasgow, Immunology

    Research Interest: How lipid metabolic pathways regulate T cell anti-tumor responses and how we can harness these to improve adoptive cell therapies.

    Fun Fact: I am afraid of Mannequins!

    Contact: cmcin at mit dot edu

  • Chad Munger

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.S Biology Duke University

    Research Interest: Aging T Cells

    Fun Fact: I tried out law before coming back to research.

    Contact: cmunger1 at mit dot edu

  • David Ye

    David Ye

    GRADUATE STUDENT, MIT BIOLOGY

    B.A. Swarthmore College, Biochemistry

    Research Interest: Cellular metabolism modulating T cell immunity to HIV-1 infection.

    Fun Fact: My goal is to visit all national parks.

    Contact: mdy1 at mit dot edu

Four-Legged Friends

  • Sally

    Sally is a very sweet dog with an eternally grumpy look on her face. Originally from Juncos, Puerto Rico, she was rescued in January 2021 and arrived in Boston shortly thereafter. In her spare time, she loves playing with other dogs and tracking squirrels.

  • Chancho

    <3 Claire

  • Pepper

    <3 Andrea

  • Bowie and Roxie

    Bowie (AKA bobo/sir boweth) and Roxie (aka roxannabelle)

    <3 Josh

  • Percy

    <3 Lillian

  • Griffin

    <3 Kendra

  • Zelda

    Zelda is a hardworking immunologist who specializes in sitting on papers that others are trying to read.

    <3 Kendra

  • Blu

    <3 Zoe

  • Momo

    Momo lives with Erika and is named after the lemur from Avatar the Last Airbender.

    <3 Erika

Former Lab Members

  • Carmen Morcelle, PhD

    POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW

    B.S. University of Alcalá, Biology

    M.S. University College London, Biochemistry

    Ph.D. University of Barcelona, Biomedicine

  • Erika Pontillo Ferragonio

    TECHNICIAN

    B.A. Kenyon College, Molecular Biology

  • Greycen Ren

    MIT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

  • Marius Breitkopf

    MASTER'S STUDENT