We are thrilled to announce that five outstanding juniors concentrating in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), Chemical and Physical Biology (CPB), and Neuroscience have been elected to the Alpha Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society. These students were selected for their exceptional academic achievements and broad intellectual pursuits.
Congratulations to our Junior Phi Beta Kappa inductees: Alin Asim (MCB/Anthropology), Aurelia Elliott (MCB/French), Alice Feng (MCB/Applied Math), Mira Jiang (Neuroscience/English), Beier Nelson (CPB/Government), and Aidan Zhou (MCB/Philosophy).
Alin Asim is pursuing a double concentration in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Anthropology (Anthropology and Medicine track), along with an A.M. in Chemistry. “This interdisciplinary path lets me explore the molecular mechanisms of disease while also thinking critically about the broader social, political, and historical contexts of health and medicine,” she says. “I aim to use science to address global health inequities, leveraging biochemical research to answer pressing questions and bridging the gap between science and the people it serves.” Alin’s work spans protein biology, pigmentation disorders, tuberculosis drug discovery, and the social determinants of health. She currently works in the David Fisher Lab at Massachusetts General Brigham and plans to study with the Maha Farhat Lab at Harvard Medical School this summer on a project developing a protein-ligand binding model for tuberculosis (TB) drug discovery.
Aurelia Elliot is concentrating in Molecular and Cellular Biology with a secondary in French. She plans on pursuing a career in law after graduation, with aspirations to work at the intersection of law and science, potentially in patent law or with biotech and pharmaceutical companies. This summer, she will intern at the corporate law firm Slaughter and May in the UK, where she’s originally from. She credits her parents and friends for their constant encouragement, perspective, and support: “I would like to thank my parents for giving me the confidence to aim high and always encouraging and supporting me in my pursuits. I would also like to thank my friends at home and college for making me laugh, spurring me on, and giving me perspective when I need it.”
Alice Feng is concentrating in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) and Applied Math. Her research interests span the genomic underpinnings of cancer, clinical innovations, and disparities in access to treatment and outcomes. At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Alice works in Matthew Meyerson’s lab, where she studies the tumor-suppressive role of the CMTR2 gene, and in Ting Bao’s lab, where she investigates how acupuncture might ease the side effects of cancer therapies. “I love looking at these two complementary areas of cancer research that seek to answer both how cancer develops in our bodies and how to immediately address its negative impacts,” she says. This summer, she’s continuing her work in the Meyerson lab.
Mira Jiang is a Neuroscience concentrator on the computational track with a secondary in English. She conducts research in the Rao Lab at Boston Children’s Hospital, where she studies how gut microbes affect neuronal identity in the enteric nervous system. “I’m fascinated by the gut-brain-microbe axis and love projects that involve the impact of the body on the nervous system and vice versa since the complicated interactions can be so satisfying to try and tease out,” she says. This summer, Mira will participate in PRISE (Harvard’s Program for Research in Science and Engineering) while continuing her work in the Rao Lab for her senior thesis. In addition to her scientific pursuits, Mira is an avid creative writer and has published several science fiction pieces inspired by her academic studies.
Beier Nelson is a double concentrator in Chemical and Physical Biology (CPB) and Government, with academic interests that span global health, cancer therapeutics, and drug design. “I chose to concentrate in both CPB and Government to gain a comprehensive view on health, hoping to gain insights into disease biology, as well as the political and ethical frameworks that underlay pressing topics in health policy,” he says. Beier leads a project on targeted protein degradation for mycobacterial infections in the Rubin Lab at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He also works in the Gillani Lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, contributing computational research on gene expression in Ewing sarcoma. This summer, Beier will stay on campus to conduct thesis research in the Rubin Lab. Outside the lab, he enjoys playing basketball, strumming the guitar, and exploring Boston’s diverse culinary scene.
Aidan Zhou is double concentrating in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Philosophy, with a keen interest in personalized medicine, cancer genomics, and drug resistance—areas he describes as especially meaningful because of “the immediate impact of research outcomes on so many people’s lives,” he says. Aidan works in the Meyerson Lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He will continue his full-time research there this summer while also serving as a Program Assistant in Harvard’s summer undergraduate research village.
Congratulations again to these outstanding students on this well-deserved honor!
updated on April 10, 2025
