Members
Balaji Rao
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, MIT (2004)
M.S., Chemical Engineering, MIT (2001)
B.ChE. UICT (formerly UDCT), Mumbai, India (1999)
Our central hypothesis is that manipulating molecular interactions through engineered proteins can be used to understand and ultimately control cellular processes. My lab works on engineering proteins to quantitatively study and ultimately control molecular interactions that govern stem cell fate.
Graduate Students
- Lucas Abbott – 3rd year PhD Candidate
- Comparative Molecular Medicine Fellow
- Co-advised with the Keung Group
- John Britt – 4th year Ph.D. Candidate
- B.S. in Genetics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (2021)
- Ryden Crowther – 1st year PhD student
- B.S. in Biochemistry – Utah State University, Logan, Utah (2020)
- Mahe Jabeen – 4th year PhD Candidate
- Provost Doctoral Fellow (2021)
- B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2017)
- M.Sc. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (2023)
- McKenna Randall – 2nd year PhD Candidate
- Comparative Molecular Medicine Fellow
- Co-advised with the Keung Group
Undergraduate Students
- Mark Yim (Senior)
- B.S in Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (expected May 2026)
- Started in the Rao lab in Summer 2023
- Ryan Sedlacek (Junior)
- B.S in Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (expected May 2026)
- Started in the Rao lab in Fall 2024
- Hugh Foley (Junior)
- B.S in Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (expected May 2026)
- Started in the Rao lab in Spring 2025
Recent News
- Mahe Jabeen received the Graduate Merit Award (GMA) from the College of Engineering
- John Britt received the GES minor fellowship.
- Ryden Crowther joined the Rao lab in Spring 2025. His work will be focused on cultivated meat.
