Novalia Pishesha

  • Country of Origin: Indonesia
  • Home University: Surya University
  • Host University & Country: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - USA
  • PhD Title: Engineered Red Blood Cells and Their Applications
  • Year of Completion: 2018
Novalia Pishesha

PhD Overview

I applied various genetic engineering techniques and chemo-enzymatic transformations to covalently attach both natural and synthetic cargoes to the surface of RBCs. The method I developed was the first to label RBC surface proteins covalently and specifically. We found that these engineered RBCs can protect mice from type 1 diabetes (T1D) and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS). In a separate set of applications, this engineering approach can also be used to create multifunctional RBCs that treat hyperlipidemia and provide long-lasting protection against lethal toxins.

Sustainability Goals

  • Good Health and Well-being
  • Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Quality Education

About Me

Novalia Pishesha, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She pioneers nanobody-based immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases and immune imaging. Co-founder of Cerberus and Orthrus Therapeutics, she was named an MIT Technology Review Innovator Under 35 and STAT Wunderkind.