Uncontrolled internal bleeding is one of the leading causes of preventable death after trauma. Harvard Griffin GSAS and Harvard SEAS bioengineering PhD candidate Maithili Joshi has developed a groundbreaking treatment for these wounds: an injectable, self-assembling peptide that rapidly targets internal bleeding, binds to platelets, and accelerates clotting—without affecting normal blood function. Demonstrated to reduce blood loss by up to 90% in preclinical models, this innovation could redefine emergency trauma care by stabilizing patients when every second counts.
"Let a thousand flowers bloom," goes the old saying. But how? Grace Burgin, a Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD student in organismic and evolutionary biology, studies the way that flowering plants selectively choose the pollen of mates rather than their own to avoid inbreeding. In so doing, she not only uncovers novel genetic pathways in plants' reproductive systems but also explores the evolutionary implications of these mechanisms, offering insights into how diversity arises and is maintained in flower populations. Burgin's research brings us a step closer to understanding the natural world around us.
Methane emissions are one of the greatest contributors to climate change. Before nations can effectively reduce emissions, though, they need to find them. At Harvard’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering, PhD candidate Ju Chulakadabba works with the Wofsy group (led by Professor Steven Wofsy) on MethaneSAT, a project in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund that makes use of satellite technology to measure and locate methane emissions from oil and gas operations around the world. The data generated by MethaneSAT will allow countries and organizations to identify, manage, and ultimately reduce their methane emissions—a critical goal in the fight against global warming. In this video, Chulakadabba discusses the potency of methane compared to carbon dioxide, how MethaneSAT will work once it is officially launched next year, and the family story that inspires her research.
Join us for an exploration of Indian mythology in this episode of The Art of the PhD featuring Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD student Vaishnavi Patil.
Larissa Zhou envisions a future where people don’t just survive in space, they thrive—with hot delicious food to sustain them.
Kausalya Mahadevan is pushing the bounds of what textiles can be.
PhD student Mauro Lazarovich uncovers the profound impact of Latin American authors, artists, and intellectuals.
PhD candidate Sophie Barton’s Paw Games Study, part of Harvard’s Canine Brains Project, sheds light on canine play behavior.
Ellen Finch, a PhD student in psychology at Harvard Griffin GSAS, is on a mission to destigmatize and help people understand pathological narcissism.
PhD student Ciara Sypherd unravels the mysteries of animal communication and cognition, bringing us closer to understanding the intricate languages of our non-human counterparts.
Imagine a robot that can contour to the human body to assist with muscular rehabilitation, safely retrieve a jellyfish from the ocean without damaging it for biology research, wriggle through tight spaces for a search and rescue mission, or be run over by a car and bounce back to its original shape.
PhD student Davide Napoli explains how ancient Greek democracies used polarization to fuel innovation without jeopardizing civic unity.
