I'm a molecular biologist fascinated by the interplay of RNA, DNA, and proteins. In my free time I enjoy classical music, playing the trombone and piano, and playing boardgames.
Originally from New Zealand, I studied biochemistry at the University of Otago and studied CRISPR-Cas systems with Prof. Peter Fineran and Prof. Kurt Krause. I moved to the UK for a PhD at the University of Cambridge. I studied spliceosome structures by cryoEM at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology under the guidance of the immensely kind Kiyoshi Nagai. In 2021 I moved to the US for a postdoc with Prof. Feng Zhang at MIT and the Broad Institute, where I started studying reverse transcriptases, retrotransposons, and learned how to discover amazing biology by gazing at DNA sequences. In 2025 I moved to NYC to start this lab.
CV
I'm a research technician in the Wilkinson lab excited to study reverse transcriptases and other intriguing biological systems! I grew up in Indonesia and graduated from Stanford in June 2025, where I conducted systems-level and molecular neuroscience research at the Deisseroth lab.
Outside lab, I love reading, writing, walking my cat, and exploring the museums and performance halls of New York City.
Hansranie is Administrative Assistant to the Wilkinson Lab and two other labs at SKI. Hansranie says "I'm an ambitious and hardworking individual who loves exploring new ideas and is inspired by nature." (She's also great at growing plants!)
Masha helps write grants and supports the day-to-day operations of the PI. She is blissfully unaware of the greatness of reverse transcription.
Has burgeoning influence on Instagram
Are you interested in discovering funky RNA biology? Do you wonder what biology is out there?
We are accepting rotation students!
Our lab is part of the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graudate School of Biomedical Sciences.
We're still getting set up with other graduate schools at Weill Cornell and Rockefeller.
For informal queries and to learn more about the projects, please feel free to directly contact Max.
We have at least 3 years of funding for a postdoc. The ideal candidate would have prior experience in either structural biology or RNA biochemistry.
If you are interested, please email Max and include a brief description for why you are interested in the lab.
Please include a CV.
More information about the position can be found here.