# People ## Avillach Lab Members Members of the Avillach Lab, including the current team and alumni. ![Avillach Lab group photo Sept. 2023](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_28_10__1920x685/public/avillach_lab/files/img_6093.jpg?h=4c50a2ad&itok=gJ59gfB1) ## Principal Investigator [### Paul Avillach, MD, PhD ](/people/paul-avillach-md-phd) [paul\_avillach@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:paul_avillach@hms.harvard.edu)Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School Dr. Avillach is Associate Professor in Pediatrics & Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital. He received his MD in Public Health from University of Bordeaux, France and PhD in Biomedical Informatics from University of... ![Dr. Paul Avillach](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/paul_avillach_h.jpg?itok=q5VtKch5) ## Project Manager [### Jessica Carpenter Lyons ](/people/jessica-carpenter-lyons) [jessica\_lyons@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:jessica_lyons@hms.harvard.edu)Senior Project Manager ![Jessica Lyons](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/jlyons_headshot_002_0.jpg?itok=xv1SCPBa) ## Instructor [### Alba Gutiérrez-Sacristán, PhD ](/people/alba-gutierrez-sacristan) [alba\_gutierrez@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:alba_gutierrez@hms.harvard.edu)Instructor in Biomedical Informatics Ph.D. in Biomedicine. Working on ASD. ![Alba Gutierrez, MSc](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/foto2.png?itok=JGkVWHr6) ## Visiting Scholars [### Joany Zachariasse ](/people/joany-zachariasse) ![Joany Zachariasse](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/thumbnail_1h8a1890.jpeg?itok=sZKZlbmy) ## Program, Product & Research Engagement Team [### Lesly Balanzar Torres ](/people/lesly-balanzar-torres-0)Project Manager ![Headshot of Lesly Balanzar Torres](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2026-02/Lesly%20Balanzar%20Torres%20Headshot%20Aug.%202025.jpg?itok=cL-QRCJ6) [### Emily Hughes, MS ](/people/emily-hughes)Bioinformatics Systems Product Manager ![Emily Hughes](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-03/0083_Emily_Hughes_001_tiny.jpeg?itok=en7jScTQ) [### Kimberly Huynh, MPH ](/people/kimberly-huynh-mph) [Kimberly\_Huynh@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Kimberly_Huynh@hms.harvard.edu)Senior Program Manager ![Kimberly Huynh, MPH](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-03/IMG_3980.jpg?itok=yD1Jw7cz) ## Software Engineers and Programmers [### Danielle Pillion ](/people/danielle-pillion)Software Engineering Manager ![DaniellePillion](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/dpillion_profile_image.jpeg?itok=kC_GtNcA) [### Thomas N. DeSain ](/people/thomas-n-desain)Senior Full Stack Software Engineer ![Thomas N. DeSain](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/img_0106.jpg?itok=QpYf2Mt1) [### Ryan Amari ](/people/ryan-amari)Senior Full Stack Software Engineer ![ryan amari](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/screen_shot_2021-09-13_at_3.12.45_pm.png?itok=72YrFmhk) [### James Peck ](/people/james-peck)Full Stack Software Engineer ![James Peck](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/jamespeck.jpg?itok=qJS8OQWP) [### Sharra Neely ](/people/sharra-neely)Full Stack Software Engineer ![Sharra Neely](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/headshot.jpg?itok=BIRCcahN) [### Samantha Piatt ](/people/samantha-pliatt)Research Software Developer II ![Samantha Piatt](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/samanthapiatt.jpg?itok=nF_2aqda) [### Luke Sikina ](/people/luke-sikina)Senior Full Stack Software Engineer ![Luke Sikina](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-03/Option%209.jpg?itok=lFlHY01Q) [### George Colon ](/people/george-colon)Full Stack Software Engineer ![George Colon](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/george_colon_headshot.jpg?itok=zCnMSzV6) [### Michael Corace ](/people/michael-corace)Bioinformatics Data Scientist ![Michael Corace](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/image_6.png?itok=H-GcTsO9) ## Alumni [### Andre Rosa ](/people/andre-rosa) [andre\_rosa@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:andre_rosa@hms.harvard.edu)Senior Java Web Developer ![Andre Rosa](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/headshot-cleaned.jpg?itok=2PjFEe9k) [### Aleksandr Nikitin ](/people/aleksander-nikitin) Application Development Specialist ![Aleksandr Nikitin](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/20160617_163651_0.jpg?itok=vVoWJYEK) [### Álvaro Hernández ](/people/%C3%A1lvaro-hern%C3%A1ndez)Visiting Graduate Student ![Álvaro Hernández](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/img_3772_2.jpeg?itok=NF2WBudw) [### Ambia Ahmed ](/people/ambia-ahmed)Senior Quality Assurance Engineer ![Ambia Ahmed](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/1690403079698.jpg?itok=TiJBwf0a) [### Andrew J Guidetti ](/people/andrew-j-guidetti) [andrew\_guidetti@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:andrew_guidetti@hms.harvard.edu)Senior DevOps Engineer ![Andrew J. Guidetti](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/2016-02-04_23.53.59.jpg?itok=0RLimr8m) [### Andrzej Cuper ](/people/andrzej-cuper)ETL Developer ![Andrzej Cuper](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/image_1.jpg?itok=dFY2Sppr) [### Anil Degala ](/people/anil-degala)Director of Data Engineering, Data Integrations and Data Architecture ![Anil Degala](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/anild.jpeg?itok=GBFx98L3) [### Antoine Neuraz, MD, MSc ](/people/antoine-neuraz-md-msc) [antoine\_neuraz@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:antoine_neuraz@hms.harvard.edu)Research associate at Harvard Medical School I work on large scale genotype-phenotype associations studies (GWAS, PheWAS) in the field of autism spectrum disorders. ![Antoine Neurraz](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/carre_0.jpg?itok=OpxsEfxx) [### Antoine Tisseaux ](/people/antoine-tisseaux) ![Antoine Tisseaux](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/antoine_tisseaux_headshot.jpg?itok=F83V8r-6) [### Antoine Tran, MD, MSc ](/people/antoine-tran-md-msc) [antoine\_tran@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:antoine_tran@hms.harvard.edu)Research Fellow in Biomedical Informatics MD in Pediatrics, specializing in Epidemiology, from the University Children Hospital, CHU-Lenval, Nice (France). Working on Global Rare Disease Registry Project ![Antoine Tran](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/at.png?itok=8-ld0c4V) [### Arabdha Biswas ](/people/arabdha-biswas-0)Summer Institute in Biomedical Informatics Intern ![Arabdha Biswas](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/dsc0334_1_01.jpg?itok=ZHKGImFH) [### Arnaud Serret-Larmande ](/people/arnaud-serret-larmande) [Arnaud\_Serret-Larmande@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Arnaud_Serret-Larmande@hms.harvard.edu)Research Fellow in Biomedical Informatics ![Arnaud Serret-Larmande](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/lespiderman.jpeg?itok=cMNURX4J) [### Atul Sanagar ](/people/atul-sanagar)Software Developer ![atul_photo](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/atul_profile.jpg?itok=HWkVCWb6) [### Bertrand Moal ](/people/bertrand-moal) Bertrand Moal holds an MD in public health and epidemiology from the University of Bordeaux and a PhD in biomechanics from Arts et Métiers ParisTech. ![Moal](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/moal.jpg?itok=k1lRA0CG) [### Bria Morgan ](/people/bria-morgan) [bria\_morgan@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:bria_morgan@hms.harvard.edu)Software Developer ![Bria Morgan](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/img_0087.cropped.jpg?itok=TWJTqWRn) [### Brigitta Gough ](/people/brigitta-gough) [brigitta\_gough@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:brigitta_gough@hms.harvard.edu)Research and Administrative Assistant ![Brigitta Gough](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/brigitta_photo.jpg?itok=e9WhTamJ) [### Burt Beckwith ](/people/burt-beckwith)Senior Full Stack Web Developer ![burt_beckwith](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/burt.beckwith.jpg?itok=S2zrKVIY) [### Carlos De Niz ](/people/carlos-de-niz) [Carlos\_DeNiz@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Carlos_DeNiz@hms.harvard.edu) Research Fellow in Biomedical Informatics MSc and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University Working on analysis of variant data of patients with Autism ![N/A](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/carlos_hms_small.jpg?itok=aTP71TZ-) [### Carlos Sáez ](/people/carlos-s%C3%A1ez) [carlos\_saez@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:carlos_saez@hms.harvard.edu)Visiting Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School Postdoctoral Researcher at Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain PhD in Technologies for Health and Well-Being, MsC in Artificial Intelligence, Pattern Recognition and Digital Imaging. He is researcher at the Biomedical Data Science Lab (ITACA Institute) of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) since 2006. His... ![Carlos Sáez](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/img_0275_s2.jpg?itok=E9GsKD67) [### Cartik K Saravanamuthu, MS, MS, PhD ](/people/cartik-k-saravanamuthu) [cartik\_saravanamuthu@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:cartik_saravanamuthu@hms.harvard.edu)Data Scientist in Biomedical Informatics MS in Biomedical Engineering. MS, PhD in Computer Engineering. Projects include: Phelan McDermid Syndrome Data Network (PMS_DN) PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome (PHTS) Cure Sickle Cell Disease (CureSCD) National Institute of Health DataSTAGE ![Cartik K. Saravanamuthu](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/cartik020315-2.jpeg?itok=W5qHgffn) [### Cassandra Perry, MS, CGC ](/people/cassandra-perry) [Cassandra\_Perry@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Cassandra_Perry@hms.harvard.edu)Project Manager at Harvard Medical School (2015 - 17) Cassandra Perry holds a Master of Science degree in genetic counseling and is a Certified Genetic Counselor. ![Cassandra Perry](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/new_profile_photo.jpg?itok=Td8gsc82) [### Claire Hassen-Khodja, MD, MSc ](/people/claire-hassen-khodja) [claire\_hassen-khodja@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:claire_hassen-khodja@hms.harvard.edu)Visiting Research Associate at Harvard Medical School Student Intern at Center For Biomedical Informatics MD Resident in Public Health, in France, specializing in biostatistics Research project at Avillach Lab: Phenotypic Identification of patients with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome in the Simons Simplex... ![Claire Hassen-Khodja](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/0b4156f.jpg?itok=1uwZoaQB) [### Emmanuelle Sylvestre, MD, MSc ](/people/emmanuelle-sylvestre) [Emmanuelle\_Sylvestre@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Emmanuelle_Sylvestre@hms.harvard.edu)Visiting Research Associate at Harvard Medical School MD resident in Public health, specializing in Biomedical informatics, working on SHRINE. ![Emmanuelle Syvelstre](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/es.jpg?itok=ubs_h_6w) [### Ephi Sachs, MD ](/people/ephi-sachs) Visiting Research Associate at Harvard Medical School (2013 - 15) Medical Intern at Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel Software Engineer at MedCPU ![Ephi Sachs, MD](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/59436_10150273296475319_2948834_n.jpg?itok=H_LSCm6x) [### Gabor Korodi ](/people/gabor-korodi) [gabor\_korodi@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:gabor_korodi@hms.harvard.edu)Sr. Software Developer ![Gabor Korodi](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/gabekorodi.jpeg?itok=2Y2P9v05) [### Haishuai Wang ](/people/haishuai-wang) [Haishuai\_Wang@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Haishuai_Wang@hms.harvard.edu)Research Fellow in Biomedical Informatics ![haishuai wang](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/screen_shot_2021-09-13_at_3.18.17_pm.png?itok=X-CkoL4f) [### Inès Krissaane ](/people/in%C3%A8s-krissaane) [ines\_krissaane@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:ines_krissaane@hms.harvard.edu)Visiting MSc Student from Sorbonne Université Working towards MSc in Data Science and Statistics ![Ines Krissaane](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/photo.jpg?itok=DURI0bfh) [### Jason Stedman ](/people/jason-stedman) [Jason\_Stedman@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Jason_Stedman@hms.harvard.edu)Director of Software Engineering ![Jason Stedman](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/jasonstedman.jpg?itok=ef9nGIxx) [### Jaspreet Khanna ](/people/jaspreet-khanna)Senior Data Analyst ![jk3](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/screen_shot_2016-11-30_at_12.54.31_pm_01.png?itok=VU71O_5i) [### Jeremy R Easton-Marks ](/people/jeremy-r-easton-marks) [Jeremy\_Easton-Marks@hms.harvard.edu](mailto:Jeremy_Easton-Marks@hms.harvard.edu)Web Application Developer (2015 - 17) ![Jeremy R. Easton-Marks](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/unnamed.jpg?itok=9A3lxxLY) [### Louis Hayot ](/people/louis-hayot)Visiting scholar ![Louis Hayot](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-03/IMG_4579.jpg?itok=umdE2E0M) [### Melinda Rushing ](/people/melinda-rushing)Visiting Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School ![Melinda Rushing](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/2025-03/IMG_2930.jpeg?itok=7yueuy1N) [### Rachel Payne ](/people/rachel-payne)Application Support Specialist II ![Rachel Payne](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/fullsizerender.jpg?itok=REOXqpPr) [### Simran Makwana, MS ](/people/simran-makwana)Bioinformatics Research Engagement Manager ![makwana](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/styles/hwp_4_5__690x865/public/avillach_lab/files/simran_headshot.jpg?itok=w5ab4S7t) ![AvillachLabMembers_LabOutingAugust2018](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/avillach_lab/files/avillachlab_august2018.png) ![AvillachLab-PartyDay-06292017](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/avillach_lab/files/img-20170629-wa0018.jpg) ![Group picture of Avillach Lab members](/sites/g/files/omnuum4001/files/avillach_lab/files/avillachlab_01.jpg)