Prerna Bhargava, PhD

Biography

Prerna Bhargava is a Program/Project Administrator in the Biological Engineering department. Prerna graduated from Brandeis University with a dual degree in biology and legal studies. She completed her PhD at Harvard University under Dr. Chih-Hao Lee studying the role of nuclear receptors in host-pathogen interactions in metabolic diseases. She then did her postdoctoral fellowship at MIT in Dr. Jim Collins’ lab studying the role of antibiotics and pathogen metabolism on host-pathogen interactions. Her interdisciplinary research has encompassed molecular biology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, and cellular biology. During this time, Prerna also mentored dozens of high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. She has TA’d and taught several classes, from dance to medical microbiology. Through all these experiences, Prerna has developed a deep interest in mentoring and leadership in higher education and improving the classroom experience to make science more accessible, encourage more students to enter and stay in STEM fields, and support critical thinking beyond the classroom.