Curriculum Vitae
Lauren ‘Ren’ Ramlan
Pronouns: She/Her
EDUCATION
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA — PhD in Bioengineering
SEPTEMBER 2023 - Present
Stanford University, Stanford, CA — B.S. in Bioengineering
SEPTEMBER 2018 - JUNE 2022
STEM WORK EXPERIENCE
Kong and Voigt Labs, Cambridge, MA — Graduate Researcher
NOVEMBER 2023 - Present
Co-advised student expanding physical, genetic, and computational design tools for fungal and bacterial Engineered Living Materials.
Harvard Systems Biology, Cambridge, MA - Post-Bacc Fellow
MARCH 2023 - AUGUST 2023
Designed and taught Synthetic Biology coursework to high school and middle schoolers. Helped run undergrad journal club, attended seminars at the department and the medical school, and organized weekly socials.
Endy Lab, Stanford, CA — Student Researcher
JANUARY 2022 - MARCH 2022
Assisted in testing a synthetic 63-codon bacteriophage genome designed to increase infectivity and resist mutation.
Attardi Lab, Stanford, CA — Student Researcher
MARCH 2019 - DECEMBER 2021
Explored the role of mutations to the p53 tumor suppressor gene in cancer, developing an algorithm to predict enhancement mutations of p53.
Lahav Lab, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA - Student Researcher
JUNE 2021 - SEPTEMBER 2021
Studied the effects of oscillations of p53, a tumor suppressor, on cell fates. Determined the impacts of altered p53 oscillations on proliferation and target gene expression, and modeled the downstream effects of these oscillations.
SEED Project, Stanford, CA - Co-Founder
OCTOBER 2020 - JUNE 2021
The Self-Replicating Environmentally Embedded Diagnostic (SEED) began as the project of the Stanford 2020 iGEM team. After receiving $45k from the Stanford Medicine Catalyst, I continued research and development of SEED by managing lab operations, updating investors, filing a provisional patent, and organizing collaborations with other labs.
Stanford 2020 iGEM Team, Stanford, CA — Researcher
MARCH 2020 - OCTOBER 2020 | Website
Worked on designing a nucleic acid diagnostic in live bacterial cells utilizing RNA toeholds. Ran daily team meetings, organized collaborations with mentors and professionals, managed funding and lab operations, designed constructs and experiments, and created deliverables.
LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Next House Leadership, Cambridge, MA – Graduate Resident Assistant
AUGUST 2024 - Present
Graduate Resident Assistance (GRA) in the undergraduate residence Next House, overseeing 39 undergraduate residents of all years, planning floor and dorm wide events, connecting students to relevant resources, and managing crises.
BE Graduate Student Board, Cambridge, MA — Social Chair
AUGUST 2024 - Present
Organizing bi-monthly social and wellness events and activities for the entire department graduate population.
BE Graduate Student Board, Cambridge, MA — First Year Representative
AUGUST 2023 - JULY 2024
Advocating for cohort interests within the department, organizing social and wellness events and activities, managing cohort spaces and supplies, ensuring that every student feels supported and on track.
Stanford BIOME, Stanford, CA — President
MAY 2020 - JUNE 2022
The Stanford Biological Interdisciplinary Open Maker Environment is Stanford’s largest bioengineering club: supporting student projects in the biosciences, funding the Stanford iGEM team, teaching bioengineering principles to students around the globe, and hosting biohackathons. Planned and managed events for our almost 400 members, oversaw each research project, and helped start half a dozen new initiatives within the group such as journal club, bioart, and weekly newsletters
The Stanford Harmonics, Stanford, CA — President
SEPTEMBER 2018 - JUNE 2022
Co-President and Music Director of the Stanford Harmonics, Stanford’s Alt. Rock and Indie a Cappella Group, from 2019-2021. As Music Director, I led rehearsals, managed and taught repertoire, and directed performances. Publicity Director from 2021-2022, managing social media and group image, as well as recruitment efforts. Member since 2018.
BioMaker Network, USA — Co-Founder and Board Member
JULY 2020 - MAY 2021
Helped create and organize the BioMaker network, a group of intercollegiate BioMaker spaces from across the nation built to share and connect students to opportunities in the biosciences.
Stanford ASSU COVID-19 Response, CA — Executive Fellow
JULY 2020 - MAY 2021
Campaigned for students impacted by the pandemic through the Associated Students of Stanford University’s COVID-19 Response Team. Compiled student thoughts on policies and existing resources, communicated student needs to Stanford admin and student government leaders, and helped create mental health and financial resources for underserved students and communities.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, MIT— Mentor
NOVEMBER 2023 - Present
Mentor to two MIT Undergraduate Researchers in the Community Biotechnology Initiative at the Media Lab and the Voigt lab in Biological Engineering.
Design Redefined, Cambridge, MA — Design Exercise Facilitator
NOVEMBER 2024
Co-designed and led an genetic design activity for ~50 local high schoolers as part of Designed Redefined: Designing for Life with the Morningside Academy for Design, the MIT Museum, and Innovators for Purpose.
Principles of Molecular Bioengineering, MIT – Teaching Trainee
AUGUST 2024 - DECEMBER 2024
Teaching Trainee for 20.420, Principles of Molecular Bioengineering. Led recitations, hosted office hours, and managed course resources.
MIT Educational Studies Program, MIT— Teacher
JUNE 2023 - AUGUST 2023
Designed and taught a course called How to Make Your Dragon, Introduction to Synthetic Biology for fifty 6-12th graders.
BIOME/iGEM 2020 Mentorship Program, Stanford, CA — Co-Founder and Mentor
JULY 2020 - FEBRUARY 2021
Designed and managed a Mentorship Program for high schoolers interested in the biosciences, guiding them through a virtual protein engineering project and giving weekly lectures on bioengineering topics. Led two teams of 6 high schoolers, organized mentors and timelines, and created programming for participants.
Lafayette Academy, Lafayette, CA— Tutor
JUNE 2018 - JANUARY 2020
Tutor for both individual students and small classrooms in the subjects of Math, Biology, Spanish, English, and Chemistry at elementary to high school levels.
ADDITIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
The Muddy Charles, Barstaff, September 2023 - Present
Bar Zola, Barstaff, August 2022 - November 2022
Mad Science Camp, Science Camp Counselor, June 2018 - July 2018
Contra Costa Public Health, Public Health Intern, June 2017 - August 2017
AWARDS AND HONORS
MIT Denton Presidential Fellowship, MIT, 2023
UCEM/PEM Scholar, MIT, 2023-2028
Exhibiting Student, Ethos of Abstraction in Biodesign art exhibition, 2024
Exhibiting Speaker, Game On!, Cambridge Science Festival, 2024
Stanford Medicine Catalyst Funding Recipient, $45,000 grant, 2020
iGEM Gold Medalist for Stanford 2020 Team Project
iGEM Best Diagnostic and Best Education Finalist for Stanford 2020 Team Project
BIOME Biohackathon UTL Prize Winner, 2019
PUBLICATIONS
Ellington, CT, et al. (2020). “The Plant Terpenoid Carvone is a Chemotaxis Repellent for C. elegans.” microPublication Biology
- Investigation and writing of original draft
Ramlan, Lauren. (2020) “In the Eye of the Beholder: Perspectives on the American Thin Ideal.” Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Issues and Media, Vol. 3
- Author
MUSICAL HONORS
2019 - Present:
MIT GSC Battle of the Bands winner, 2024
Best of College Acapella for Bad Liar by Harmonics, 2021
CARA Best Rock Album for Signal Lost by Harmonics, 2020
Stanford Hymn Convocation Singer, 2019
Stanford Chamber Chorale’s Durufle Album, 2019
ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Barely Educated Band, Founder and lead singer, 2023 - Present
MIT BE Dodgeball, Captain, 2023
American Indian Science and Engineering Society, Member, 2018 - 2022
Stanford Chamber Chorale, Soprano I, 2018 - 2022
Bioengineering Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team, Undergrad Member, 2021 - 2022
Stanford iGEM Teams, Mentor, 2021 and 2022
Stanford Bioengineering Curriculum Equity Team, Reviewer, 2021
Stanford A Cappella for Black Lives Matter, Creator/Lead Organizer, 2020