The Lab

Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

Associate Scientist, Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital 

Cancer Cell Biology Program Member

Neuro-Oncology Program Member

email: hvenkatesh@bwh.harvard.edu

Humsa received her undergraduate degree in Chemical Biology from the University of California, Berkeley and her PhD in Cancer Biology from Stanford University. After completing her postdoctoral work, she joined the Stanford faculty in 2019 and is now starting her Cancer Neuroscience research program as Assistant Professor at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She has been recognized by the MIT Technology Review as a Pioneer Under 35 ‘TR35’ (2018), by Genetic Engineering News as a ‘Top 10 innovator to  watch under 40’ (2019), and won the Science & SciLife Prize for Young Scientists (2019). 

Research Lab Manager

email: kmgentry@bwh.harvard.edu

office phone: 857-307-1446

Kaylee attended the University of Southern Mississippi where she received her BSc in Biology and her MSc studying behavioral ecology in the Jawor lab. 

She has worked in a wide variety of research areas including tuberculosis immunology and estrogen receptor signaling at Tulane University, and cancer vaccination at The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill before joining the field of cancer neuroscience as a founding member of the Venkatesh Lab. Her current research interests seek to understand retinal changes in responses to primary and secondary brain tumors.

Outside the lab, she enjoys reading about history, birding, and gardening. 

Electrophysiologist 

Garrett received his BS in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2015 and his PhD in Neuroscience from Tufts University in 2024. 

He gained his first exposure to electrophysiology and neuroendocrine research in the Healy Lab at UMass. His PhD research in the Maguire Lab at Tufts focused on the effects of early life stress on whole-cell and network electrophysiology in the amygdala.

Garrett is particularly interested in studying the relationships between tumors and neural electrophysiology and circuitry.

Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking, running, skiing, and reading. 

PiN PhD Candidate

Hannah is a graduate student trainee in the Program in Neuroscience. Before starting graduate school, she received a degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University and worked as a technician at HMS. As a technician, she studied how thyroid hormone regulates the activity and transcriptional profiles of cortical neurons.

Hannah is particularly interested n understanding how gliomas affect neuronal activity both within the tumor microenvironment and in longer-range circuits.

Outside of lab, Hannah enjoys spending her free time long-distance running, hiking, and basically anything outdoors!

BBS PhD Candidate

Rachel is a graduate student in Harvard's Biological & Biomedical Sciences program. She received her bachelor's degree from UMass Amherst in 2019. She then  went on to work as a research technician in a cancer therapeutics lab at  HMS before starting grad school. 

Rachel is interested in how peripheral nerves within the lung interact with primary lung tumors, and how this communication influences tumor progression.
 

Outside the lab, she enjoys painting, reading, and hanging out with her dog Reggie.

PiN PhD Candidate

Lexi is a Harvard PhD Student in the Program in Neuroscience. She received her BS degree from the University of California, San Diego and worked as a technician at the Salk Institute. After graduation, she continued to work as a technician at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre in London.

Lexi is primarily interested in how different brain circuits are influenced by the presence of peripheral cancers in the body.

Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, beach days, and painting. 

Research Tech I 

Eleena attended the University of Texas at Austin where she received her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. She has worked in various research areas throughout her undergraduate career studying glycine receptor signaling, proteomics, synapse formation, and structural neuroscience. 

Eleena is interested in how tumors manifest themselves and their effects on different neuronal circuits. 

Outside of lab, she enjoys reading, playing her violin, and keeping up with the most recent Formula 1 race.

Research Tech I

Meghan is a graduate of Boston University where she majored in Biomedical Engineering and Human Physiology. She worked as an undergraduate volunteer in the Venkatesh lab before joining as a research tech in Fall 2025. 

Meghan is particularly interested in the relationship between the CNS and the Immune System and how it relates to disease progression.

She was VP of the BU Women's Water Polo Team and enjoys snacking and watching movies. 

Post-Doc Research Fellow

Jacqueline received her BS in Biology and Biotechnology from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2019. She completed her PhD in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology at Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2025 as a member of Dr. Chris Dulla’s lab. Her dissertation research focused on how astrocytes modulate neuronal activity and contribute to brain function in the healthy and injured brain, using advanced imaging approaches such as iGluSnFR glutamate sensors and Genetically Encoded Voltage Indicators (GEVIs).

Jacqueline is interested in applying these imaging and viral tools in the context of glioblastoma, with the goal of understanding how glial signaling impacts tumor progression and broader neural circuitry.

Outside of the lab, Jacqueline enjoys reading, coffee, mentoring undergraduate students, and cheering on the Boston Celtics.