Alumni at Hibino Lab

Umar Siddiqi
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med]
“Working with all the inspiring individuals of the Hibino Lab has been an enriching experience. The collaborative environment combined with the shared spirit of innovation has made projects both enjoyable and productive. I look forward to continue our efforts to push the boundaries of patient care.”
Olivia Hung
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med]
Liana Hiekali
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.) Biological Sciences track [pre-med]
    Cellular, Molecular, and Tissue Engineering (minor)
Matthew Perez
  • University of Chicago
  • Neuroscience (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Data Science (minor)
Taylor Williams
  • University of Chicago
  • Neuroscience (B.S.) [pre-med]
Oliver Clarke
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Economics (B.S.)
“Working at the Hibino Lab has given me the opportunity to collaborate with researchers on various projects and learn more about the clinical applications behind our work. I’m extremely grateful for this experience and excited about the future impacts of our research.”
Cynthia Tang
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S)
  • Chemistry (Minor)
Thalia Haines
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S)
“The best way to become better at research is experience, and that was my only expectation when joining the Hibino Lab. To my delight, I’ve found not only an experience but a community as well, which has fostered both academic and personal growth inside and outside of the lab. I greatly appreciate this opportunity and I look forward to more research to come!”
Mila Martin
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S)
Amer Dzankovic
  • University of Chicago
  • Biochemistry (B.S.)
  • Molecular Engineering (minor)
“As an undergraduate researcher, my biggest priority when selecting a lab was ensuring a supportive, collaborative, and inquisitive culture that inspired me to ask questions and get my hands dirty. The Hibino lab exceeded my expectations and helped me realize all of STEM is for me.
Rico Lau
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S)
  • Health and Society (Minor)
“As an aspiring medical student, memorization has thus far been my dominant means to learn. Through the Hibino Lab, I learned to appreciate the importance of and excitement that innovation offers. The independent, yet supportive environment of the Hibino Lab has allowed me to grow as both a researcher and an invdividual in ways I never imagined.
Nico Barr
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.), Bio Track
  • Cellular, Molecular, and Tissue Engineering (Minor)
“The best way to become better at research is experience, and that was my only expectation when joining the Hibino Lab. To my delight, I’ve found not only an experience but a community as well, which has fostered both academic and personal growth inside and outside of the lab. I greatly appreciate this opportunity and I look forward to more research to come!”
Emma Rifat
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med] and Creative Writing (B.A.)
Christina Li
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.A.), Chemistry (B.S.) [pre-med]
Rebecca Shaw
  • University of Chicago
Arya Naik
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.), Biological Sciences Track [pre-med]
“The work being conducted at this lab is truly cutting edge and it is so exciting that undergraduates like myself are able to have such hands-on involvement while creating a collaborative and supportive work environment.”
Noor Syafira Shih
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.)
  • Education and Society (Minor)
“Working at the Hibino Lab has allowed me to explore so many amazing parts of tissue engineering and design! I really love just how kind and supportive Dr. Hibino and everyone here is, and I’m so glad that I am able to contribute to this research!”
Alesha Kelly
  • University of Chicago
  • Biochemistry (B.S.)
  • Molecular Engineering (minor)
Eric Cajigas
  • University of Chicago
  • Neuroscience (B.A.)
  • Chemistry (Minor)
Anja Gouldlock
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences, East Asian Languages and Civilizations [pre-med]
“From the start, the Hibino Lab provides a wonderful environment to learn, collaborate, and work. Due to this inviting atmosphere, making the most of the numerous opportunities the lab offers is extremely easy. It is definitely a great place for all levels of researchers and has something to offer for everyone.”
Zyva Sheikh
  • University of Chicago ’24
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.)
  • Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Engineering (Minor)
“I joined the Hibino Lab in my first month at the University, and it has been essential to my academic experience. Working in the Hibino Lab has exposed me to my true passions and has given me the confidence and skills necessary to execute impactful research. I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to pursue cutting-edge research alongside the most innovative and supportive people.”
Hidenori Hayashi
  • August 2021 – September 2023
  • Postdoctoral Scholar at Hibino Lab
Alexander Holzman
  • University of Chicago ’24
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.)
  • Bio Track Immunology (minor)
Daniel Rodgers
  • Lab Manager at Hibino Lab
Amartya Dave
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
  • Bioengineering (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Chemistry (minor)
“I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct research with Hibino Lab. It’s a pleasure to work alongside so many talented and welcoming students and mentors on projects I’m passionate about. With the help of my peers in Hibino Lab, I look forward to contributing to the advancement of cardiac research.”
Jackie Caraveo
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (B.S.) Visual Arts (minor)
“My time with the Hibino Lab has been the most impactful research experience of undergraduate career. Dr. Hibino’s mentorship along with the support of my incredible teammates push me to be the best developing scientist I can be. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with this team and to take part in advancing the field of cardiac tissue engineering!“
Kenny Lu
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S). pre-med
“Professor Hibino is one of the most enthusiastic and supportive PIs I’ve worked with. He’s created a very welcoming collaborative environment and he’s always motivating interesting, high-quality research. I would highly recommend Professor Hibino to anyone who is interested in cardiovascular research, regardless of your experience or background.”
Caitlin Jorgensen
  • University of Chicago
  • Classical Studies (B.A.) [pre-med]
“I’ve been incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to conduct research in the Hibino Lab. Although I began with no lab experience, I was quickly welcomed by many talented and intelligent undergrads, postdocs, and mentors. It’s a privilege to work with advanced tissue engineering technologies that can positively contribute to the future of cardiac research and patient care.”
Jeronimo Najarro
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.), spec. in Cancer Biology [pre-med]
  • Computer Science (minor)
“Initially, I was hesitant to start working in a research lab since I had no prior research experience, but the lab’s welcoming and collaborative environment made all those worries go away! I am excited to learn more about the intersections between technology and biology through cardiac research, and I am grateful that the Hibino Lab has given me this opportunity to perform such meaningful work.”
Ellen Ma
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.), spec. in Cell and Molecular Biology
  • Environmental Studies (minor)
“I first become interested in the Hibino Lab because of how applicable its research is in comparison to other labs. The work here is the intersection between bioengineering and medicine, and I’m excited to see its clinical implications. Everyone here is also an amazing mentor, and I feel comfortable asking questions and collaborating with the team.”
Anusha Gupta
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Global Health and Society (minor)
“I really like working at the Hibino lab because we have fostered a great collaborative learning environment that makes working in the lab welcoming and a lot easier to navigate. Working in this lab has also means that I learn something new almost every time I come in, a perk to having multiple projects running at once!”
Osinachi Nwosu
  • University of Chicago
  • Computer Science (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Biological Sciences (minor)
Tiffanie Huang
  • University of Chicago
  • Data Science (B.S.) [pre-med]
Alexandria Gaytan
  • University of Chicago
  • Psychology (B.A) [pre-med]
  • Creative Writing (minor)
Krupa Sudheendra
  • University of Chicago Mathematics (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Former Undergraduate Lab Manager
“The research we conduct in the Hibino Lab is fascinating to me because of its potential to impact future healthcare and drastically improve patients’ quality of life. The exciting discussions, ability to constantly grow and gain new skills, and Dr. Hibino’s passion and approachability create a lab that I am proud to be a part of.”
Priya Dhananjaya
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (B.S.), spec. in Endocrinology [pre-med] Health and Society (minor)
“Every day I step into lab is another day I’m in awe of not only the intelligent individuals around me with a clear passion for science, but also the fascinating nature of our research and its ability to transform patient care! It’s incredibly stimulating to be in such a supportive environment and I’m so grateful of the opportunity I’ve been given!“
Sarah Koljaka
  • University of Chicago
  • Economics (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Data Science
“Working at the Hibino Lab has given me the opportunity to collaborate with researchers on various projects and learn more about the clinical applications behind our work. I’m extremely grateful for this experience and excited about the future impacts of our research.”
Xiaxia Saavedra
  • University of Chicago
  • Biological Sciences, Business Economics [pre-med]
Jamie Zhao
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (BS), specialization in Cell and Molecular Biology
I am very happy to join the Hibino Lab! I am very grateful for the opportunity to conduct research and gain valuable lab experience. The Hibino Lab makes me feel very welcomed and a part of a team.
Eugenia Lee
  • University of Chicago Computer Science (B.S.) [pre-med]
“I am so happy and grateful to be part of the Hibino Lab. Every day, I am learning something new from my teammates and mentors about the impact of our research on patient care or about lab techniques to improve our current projects. I love how supportive Dr. Hibino and all the lab members are of each other, and it’s such a privilege conducting research with the incredible undergraduates, postdocs, and researchers.”
Katherine Nurminsky
  • University of Chicago Mathematics (B.S.) [pre-med]
  • Former Undergraduate Lab Manager
“The research we conduct in the Hibino Lab is fascinating to me because of its potential to impact future healthcare and drastically improve patients’ quality of life. The exciting discussions, ability to constantly grow and gain new skills, and Dr. Hibino’s passion and approachability create a lab that I am proud to be a part of.”
Anya Wang
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (B.S.), spec. in Endocrinology [pre-med] Health and Society (minor)
“Every day I step into lab is another day I’m in awe of not only the intelligent individuals around me with a clear passion for science, but also the fascinating nature of our research and its ability to transform patient care! It’s incredibly stimulating to be in such a supportive environment and I’m so grateful of the opportunity I’ve been given!“
Stephanie Ran
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (B.S.) Visual Arts (minor)
“My time with the Hibino Lab has been the most impactful research experience of undergraduate career. Dr. Hibino’s mentorship along with the support of my incredible teammates push me to be the best developing scientist I can be. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with this team and to take part in advancing the field of cardiac tissue engineering!“
Olivia Dunne
  • University of Chicago
  • Molecular Engineering (B.S.) [pre-med], Bioengineering track
  • Tissue Engineering (minor)
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to conduct research with the Hibino Lab. This is such a welcoming and creative environment, and it’s really exciting to be working with cutting-edge tissue engineering technologies that may be directly applied to improve patient care in the future.”
Tatsuya Watanabe
  • Research Assistant
Tyler Dunn
  • Clinical Specialist in Boston Scientific’s cardiac rhythm management division. 
  • Research Assistant (3/2021- 3/2022)
“I was drawn to the Hibino lab because of the work on tissue engineering and 3D printing. But what’s truly special about the lab is the impact your research can have on the future of cardiac surgery. Not to mention what a great place it is to learn and sharpen skills.”
Kira Tiv
  • University of Chicago Biological Sciences (B.S.) [pre-med]
Riley Hurr
  • University of Chicago
    Economics (B.S.) [pre-med]
Willa Li
  • M.D. Candidate
    University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine ’23
    B.A. Chemical & Physical Biology, Harvard University ’19
Hiroshi Matsushita
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow Faculty of Medicine, Sapporo Medical University, Japan
Isaree Pitaktong
  • Emory School of Medicine MD/PhD program
  • Research assistant (Sep 2020 – April 2021)
  • Undergraduate Student (Mar 2017 – May 2019)
    B.S. Johns Hopkins University
“The project is awesome and so are the people, and there’s always so much to learn and do!“
Jason Yusheng He
  • Postdoctoral fellow (March 2020- April 2021)
  • PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology 2013-2020
Vivian Nguyen
  • Research Assistant (July 2019- Sep 2019)
  • Bioengineering PhD course, Ilinois Institute of Technology
  • University of Chicago (graduate 2019)
Sara Abdollahi
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Oct 2018- May 2019)
  • Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University in Biomedical Engineering
  • Master’s degree in materials engineering at McGill University.
  • BS in chemical engineering at McGill University
Takahiro Inoue
  • Post Doc Fellow (Sep 2017 – Aug 2019)
  • Current: The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
“In Hibino’s Lab, we always carry out state-of-the-art experiments. And all the lab members are very friendly and cooperative.
To start your research experience, this lab will provide a full and complete environment to you.
Let’s work together and achieve excellent research!!“
Chin Siang Ong
  • Cellular and Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Candidate (Dec 2015 – May 2019)
  • Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiology, Division of Cardiac Surgery
“I had the fortune of having Dr Hibino as my PhD co-mentor at Johns Hopkins. I was one of the first 3 to join when he first started his lab, so I witnessed the exponential growth of his lab. As a mentor, he is very organized, hands-on, caring, personable and supportive. He has impressive and limitless energy. I strongly recommend him to any prospective undergraduate student, graduate student or postdoctoral fellow, looking for a great research experience.”
Shanxiu Xu
  • Research Assistant  (October 2019- May 2020)
  • Current: PhD candidate, Biomedical Engineering in University of California, Davis
  • B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology 2016-2019
Serena Wu
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology and Neuroscience Undergraduate Student (2017 – May 2019 )
  • Johns Hopkins University
Enoch Yeung
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2017-May 2019)
“It is my pleasure to work with Dr.Hibino’s research team who dedicated to realizing the dream of innovation in cardiac surgical technology. The team is well equipped with great people with spectacular minds and amazing surgical techniques. The tremendous leadership of Dr.Hibino makes the researches as robust as it can be.
Undoubtedly, it is one of the best research teams in the country.”
Joseph Boktor
  • Molecular & Cellular Biology Undergraduate Student (Oct 2016 – May 2019)
  • Johns Hopkins University
Cecillia Lui
  • General Surgery Resident (PGY3) (Jul 2017 – May 2019)
  • The Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Surgery
Pooja Yesentharao
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology and Neuroscience Undergraduate Student (2017 -May 2019 )
  • Johns Hopkins University
Lucy Nam
  • Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (Aug 2017 – May 2019)
Gunnar Mattson

Johns Hopkins University, Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student (June 2016 – May 2018)

“My experiences in the Hibino Lab has been invaluable to my overall undergraduate experience. It was through Dr. Hibino’s mentorship and guidance that I grew to recognize the importance of connecting pure science with clinical applications through translational research. I am inspired by Dr. Hibino’s intelligence, vision, creativity, and compassion. I started in the Hibino lab the summer before my sophomore year and since then I have learned new lab techniques, improved my existing skills, and had the amazing opportunity to learn 3D bioprinting. The projects that I have been involved with have required innovative creativity, dedication, perseverance, and teamwork. I am grateful for these experiences and the success our team has made, and I look forward to watching the lab continue to lead the field in cardiac tissue engineering. “
Yang Bai
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (September 2017 – March 2018)
  • Current: Associate Professor, Department of Cardiac Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
“I have an unforgettable experience in Dr. Hibino’s lab! All the methods of cardiac tissue creation are leading in the world and will benefit me all my life ! I have learned a lot and, and I will continue to do the research of cardiac tissue engineering in China!”
Takuma Fukunishi, MD
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2014 – Dec 2017)
  • Current: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ehime School of Medicine
“I had many great experiences in Dr. Hibino’s lab with my exposure to different cultures, life experiences, new friendships, and basic research. I hope everyone that is curious about basic research expose themselves to it as much as possible. I have learned much from my experiences and look forward to challenging myself towards my next step.”
Andrew Nashed, MD
  • Visiting Medical Student (May 2016 – Oct 2016)
  • Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt
  • Lab Technician (Dec 2016 – Oct 2017), Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiology
Shipra Khatri
  • Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student (October 2015 – Jan 2017)
  • Johns Hopkins University
“Tom” Huaitao Zhang
  • Resident in Foot and ankle surgery at Kaiser Santa Clara
  • Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) (2017 – 2021), William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL
“My time at Dr. Hibino’s lab was an eye-opening experience. I started during my junior year of undergrad and worked throughout my gap year. The lab started out small but we grew quickly as a steadily increasing number of projects and collaborations happened. During my time here, I sharpened my wet lab skill, communication, and grant/paper-writing skills. Not only were the opportunities in the lab invaluable, but also the people who I had the pleasure of working with. Chin Siang Ong, Taku Fukunishi, Andrew Nashed, Melissa Jones, and my lovely undergrad students, Joe, Sam, Shipra, Gunnar, and Isaree are amongst the brightest and most-hardworking that Johns Hopkins had to offer. Last but not least, Dr. Hibino is the most intelligent and diligent yet humble person I have ever met in my life. Working with him instilled in me a newfound work ethic and a brand-new appreciation for the beauty of academia.”
Samantha Hardy
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology Undergraduate Student (2016-2017)
    Johns Hopkins University