MEET THE TEAM

Clarety Kaseke 2019-2022 (technician) - medical student at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

“I am so honored to have been part of the Gaiha Lab. I was particularly enthused by the chance to contribute to research that reaches far beyond the lab bench to touch the lives of people across the globe, including those in my home region of Southern Africa. Coming to the lab, fresh from my undergraduate, all I knew was that I wanted to work on HIV. What I found instead was a calling and a sense of purpose, nurtured by the mentorship of Dr. Gaurav Gaiha. Gaurav embodies the kind of scientist and mentor I hope to become one day. He balances supervision and nurtures independence, always meeting you where you are, while nudging you forward with insight and compassion. Even after leaving the lab for medical school, he continues to encourage me and support my career goals. The lab was not just a workplace but a wholesome family, where we spoke freely, laughed loudly, questioned deeply, and were wholly ourselves. That sense of belonging was not incidental. It was built deliberately, with Gaurav’s friendly demeanor, sincere openness, and everyone’s eager contribution, including Rhoda’s hilarious stories, Anusha and Zach’s baked treats, hiking trips, and sporadic soirees. I hold my time there close to my heart and carry it as a blueprint for the scientific community I hope to help create.”

GAIHA LAB ALUMS

Zach Zhao 2020-2021 (MD student) - MD-PhD student in the BBS program at Harvard Medical School

Alessandra Soares Schanoski 2022-2023 (staff scientist) - principal scientist at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR)

Devin Spiers 2020-2024 (vet technologist)

Hsinyen Huang 2025 (Technician) - Quantitative & Computational Biology PhD program at Princeton.


Rhoda Tano-Menka 2018-2022 (technician) - medical student at Stanford University School of Medicine

“The  years I spent in the Gaiha lab were some of the best years of my life. Through the outstanding mentorship of my PI and the incredible support of my fellow lab mates I was able to experience tremendous growth as a scientist. Being a member of the Gaiha lab was more than a job for me, I was a part of a loving community committed to the advancement of science to save and improve lives. I will be forever grateful for my time in the Gaiha lab. The cutting edge scientific discoveries I was able to contribute to and the unwavering encouragement of my PI and fellow lab mates played a crucial role in my acceptance to my top choice schools for my medical education. While I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Stanford School of Medicine to continue my scientific journey, my heart will always remain in the Gaiha lab, the place that fostered and nourished my love of science and the scientific process.”

Shaown Bhattacharyya 2022-2024 (technician) - MD-PhD student at Stony Brook School of Medicine

Aaron Shulkin 2022-2024 (technician) - MD student at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine

“The Gaiha Lab was the best place to spend my time before starting medical school. I got to work on the coolest science and met some extraordinary people. Everyone, especially Gaurav, was so supportive and was always willing to help with experiments or talk through future life plans. The lab helped me grow into a better scientist, a more critical thinker, and a better person. I truly enjoyed and will always be grateful for my time here. The Gaiha Lab is an amazing place to be!”

Ben Goldberg 2021-2024 (technician) - PhD student in the Virology program at Harvard Medical School

“My time in the Gaiha lab was truly irreplaceable. It was one thing to be lucky enough to find a lab conducting science I found so exciting, but I never expected that my time in the Gaiha lab would so thoroughly impact the future path I hope to take. I truly believe the science and projects in the lab have the potential to both generate change in the field and improve lives the clinic, and I feel privileged that I was able to contribute to that. But, apart from the science, what makes the lab so special is the community. The times I will look back on in the lab most fondly will be sitting around with the lab chatting, where long days or late nights were always worth it because I got to spend them with close friends. Gaurav and my lab-mates showed me the kind of scientist I hope to be and the future I hope to obtain. I will be forever appreciative of the lab and my experiences in it, and know that I will continue to call everyone in it a mentor and friend in the years to come.”

Itai Muzhingi 2024 (research fellow) - DPhil Mathematical/Computational Immunology at Oxford University