Principal Investigator
 | April Craft, PhD Outside of science, April spends a generous amount of time spoiling her English and French bulldogs, trying to keep succulents alive, and when New England weather permits, she grows and cans veggies. |
Members
 | Tim Hammersen, PhD Tim is a postdoctoral fellow investigating how MAFB mutations contribute to Multicentric Carpotarsal Osteolysis (MCTO), a rare bone disease characterized by disruptions in cartilage development and bone mineralization. Using patient-derived iPSCs, he aims to apply these insights to advance tissue engineering for cartilage and bone repair. Outside the lab, Tim balances his love for sweets with Solidcore workouts. |
 | Sarah Jachim, PhD Sarah is a postdoctoral fellow working on tissue engineering approaches to optimize the biomanufacturing of in vitro, stem-cell derived cartilage. When she isn’t in the lab, she can be found hiking in New England’s many beautiful forests and parks, or curled up with her cat and a good book. |
 | Xiaojun Wang, PhD Xiaojun is currently involved in a collaborative research project focused on studying the effects of various drugs on osteochondral stem cell differentiation. Additionally, he scores tissue section images from human osteochondral explants and rat OA knee models. Outside of the lab, Xiaojun enjoys reading ancient Chinese poems and singing words (Gu Shi Ci) and has a passion for classic Beijing Opera. |
| Andrew Zhu, MS Andrew Zhu is a skilled bioinformatician with an M.S. in Bioinformatics from Northeastern University. He specializes in data analysis techniques like Single-Cell and Bulk-RNA sequencing, as well as spatial transcriptomics, helping to unravel complex biological data for orthopedic research. Outside of his professional work, Andrew is an avid explorer of Boston's culinary scene, frequently seeking out new restaurants to enjoy the city's diverse food offerings. |
 | Nereida Ramirez Nereida is investigating the roles of biophysical/mechanical stimulation on cartilage development and gene expression. Nereida sings in the Longwood Chorus, which is an ensemble comprised of physicians, scientists, and students of the local Boston medical community. |
 | Mia Russ Mia is an undergraduate student at Harvard College studying Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology. She is investigating tendon and cartilage development using stem cell models. Outside of the lab, Mia enjoys long walks and folk rock music.
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 | Delmy Melendez Delmy leads the lab’s tendon program and plays a key role in advancing in-vitro models for cartilage and tendon development using human pluripotent stem cells. With nearly seven years of experience in the field her work centers on translating cutting-edge research into meaningful, patient-focused solutions. Delmy has co-created a patent with Dr. April Craft on the in vitro generation of cartilage. Outside the lab, Delmy likes to stay active and connected to nature - whether it’s hiking, relaxing at the beach, or embracing a healthy, active lifestyle. She also enjoys unwinding through writing poetry and visiting the sauna, which helps her recharge and stay inspired. |
Alumni
Chaochang Li, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
Senior Scientist/Principal Investigator, industry
Junming (Jimmy) Cai, MS
Research assistant
PhD candidate, Mayo Clinic
Pranidhi Baddam, PhD
Postdoctoral fellow
Sophia Kocher
Research assistant
Medical student, Duke
Tom Cutia
Research assistant, lab manager
Bluerock Therapeutics
Oliver Gardner
Postdoctoral fellow
Postdoctoral fellow, University College London
Stefano Menghini
Master’s student, ETH Zurich
PhD student, ETH Zurich
Uzochi Nwoko
Harvard undergraduate research student
MD student, University of Michigan
Anna Moreno i Garcia
Master’s student, IQS Barcelona
Mireia Llora i Valls
Master’s student, IQS Barcelona
Suyash Raj
Research assistant
PhD student, Stanford University
Steven Pregizer
Postdoctoral fellow, lab manager
Visterra Therapeutics