Affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA

Dr. Pavana Suresh is a research scientist with a background in biochemistry and structural biology. She completed her Ph.D. at Stony Brook University, NY, in 2021, where she focused on the interactions between lipid membranes and proteins. Her doctoral research under Dr. Erwin London and Dr. Todd Miller included pioneering work on the modulation of insulin receptor activity by lipid environments.  

Pavana's technical expertise is extensive, covering protein and lipid biochemistry, phage-based nanobody screening, protein purification, and advanced microscopy techniques. She also has experience in scientific illustration, using tools like Blender and Photoshop. 

For her postdoctoral work, she joined Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, working with Dr. Hidde Ploegh on understanding the biochemistry of E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes using alpaca derived nanobodies. She is currently working with Dr. Sun Hur, exploring the molecular mechanisms of RIG-I-like receptors using alpaca-derived nanobodies. 

Pavana has contributed to several publications in journals such as the Biophysical Journal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Journal of Lipid Research, BBA Biomembranes, and PLoS One. Her research has not only expanded understanding of membrane protein interactions but also opened new avenues in nanobody-based biochemical studies.