The Lowery Lab
at Boston University
Laura Anne Lowery, PhD, Principal Investigator
Laura grew up in the San Fernando Valley outside of Los Angeles. She discovered her love of academia and biomedical research while an undergrad at the University of California, San Diego. In the lab of Dr. Bill Schafer, she studied the neural circuitry underlying worm egg-laying behavior. In 2008, Laura received her PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, working in the lab of Dr. Hazel Sive at the Whitehead Institute, where she pioneered research studying early brain ventricle morphogenesis. Laura then did post-doctoral research in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School, in the labs of Dr. David Van Vactor and Dr. Gaudenz Danuser, where she became fascinated by the inner workings of the neuronal growth cone. She began as an Assistant Professor at Boston College in 2014, she was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018. Laura moved to Boston University Medical Center as an Associate Professor at Boston University in 2020. Laura has served on federal and international review committees, authored more than 40 publications, and presented more than 70 seminars and talks. Laura also serves as the Associate Chief for Faculty Affairs in the Section of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Medicine. In addition to loving her job, Laura enjoys watercolor painting, dancing, playing board games, and spending time with her 2 children and her dog. Laura also has a blog. Contact her at lalowery at bu.edu.
Chiedza Sibanda, Research Assistant
Chiedza graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst with a B.S. in Biochemistry and molecular biology in May 2022. There, she had the opportunity to work in hands-on molecular biology and biochemistry labs, growing her appreciation and love for being part of a lab and its processes. Chiedza joined the Lowery lab to apply the knowledge she learned in classes and gain more research experience in cell biology. She is from Harare, Zimbabwe, and outside of academics, she enjoys drawing, playing cello, and outdoor activities with friends. She hopes to attend medical school in Fall 2025.
Burcu Erdogan, Postdoctoral Researcher
Burcu received her PhD in the Lowery Lab at Boston College in 2019. She then did postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University in the Whited lab. She came back to the Lowery Lab in January 2023 to help us with some important experiments and train new people, while she plans her next steps in her career.
Kenan Al-Qubaitary, MD, Visiting Scholar
Kenan earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Damascus University Faculty of Medicine in 2025. Driven by a strong interest in neurology and internal medicine, he was drawn to the Lowery Lab's investigations into neural crest cell migration, neurodevelopment, and human developmental disorders – areas closely aligned with his fascination with the nervous system and his aspiration to become a physician-researcher. He began in the lab in Spring 2025. Outside of his academic pursuits, Kenan enjoys playing sports, reading poetry, practicing calligraphy, and exploring new languages and cultures.
Yusuf Kayaer, MD, Visiting Scholar
Yusuf graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine in 2023. Research and scientific studies in cell biology have always fascinated him, leading him to decide to advance his career in this direction after graduation. In his free time, he enjoys learning new languages and traveling. His career plan is to become a physician-scientist focusing on tumor cell biology.
.jpg)
Urvika Gupta, Undergraduate
Urvika is a junior studying Medical Science in the Seven Year Liberal Arts and Medical Education Program at Boston University. She joined the Lowery Lab in the fall of 2023, excited to learn basic cellular biology laboratory techniques and about embryonic development. Urvika is from Bridgewater, New Jersey, and loves reading, playing tennis, and spending time outside. She will be attending the Boston University School of Medicine after graduating.
Jas Senel, Undergraduate
Jasming is a junior from Miami, Florida studying neuroscience and computer science at Boston University. She joined the Lowery Lab in the fall of 2023 because of her passion for genetics and to explore scientific research. In her free time, Jas likes to cook, spend time with friends, play basketball, and play piano. After graduation, she would like to attend medical school.
Karim Zantout, Undergraduate
Karim is a sophomore from Beirut, Lebanon studying Biology with a specialization in Cell, Molecular, and Genetic biology at Boston University. He joined the Lowery Lab in Fall 2024 because of his passion and interest in the field of genetics and cell biology. In his free time, Karim enjoys going to the gym, playing football, and going out with friends. After graduating, he would like to attend medical school.
Kushmin Weliwita, Undergraduate
Kushmin is a sophomore from Georgia studying Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Boston University. She joined the Lowery Lab in the Fall of 2024 because of her love for learning about the world around her through hands-on science. She also loves music, playing her guitar, drawing, crocheting, and dancing on her college dance team. She plans to attend medical school after graduation, and is passionate about becoming a pathologist and a lifelong educator of the sciences.
Agasthya Kamath, Undergraduate
Agasthya is a freshman from Paris studying neuroscience at Boston University. He joined the Lowery Lab in the fall of 2024 to learn neuroscience and biology laboratory and analysis techniques, and protein functioning in regular and atypical brains. In his free time, he loves board games, trying out new cuisines, and traveling. He plans on attending an MD/PhD program, focusing on neurodegenerative diseases and their treatments.
Filip Engstroem, Masters Student
Filip is currently a Masters student at Boston University. In 2024, he received his BS in Human Physiology and BA in Psychology at Boston University. He joined the Lowery Lab in fall 2022 to gain practical lab experience and learn more about the role of genetics in embryonic development. He is from Stockholm, Sweden, and spends his free time solving puzzles and training martial arts. After graduation, Filip hopes to attend medical school.
Zara Abba-Aji, Masters Student
Zara is a Master’s student in Pathology and Laboratory Sciences at Boston University. She joined the Lowery Lab in Fall 2024, driven by her passion for molecular biology and interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases. Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, trying out new restaurants, and exploring the city. After graduating, she plans to pursue a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics, with aspirations for a career in the biotech industry.