MIT senior Katie Spivakovsky has been named a 2026 Churchill Scholar, a prestigious honor that will take her to Cambridge University to pursue an MPhil in biological sciences.

Spivakovsky’s academic trajectory sits at the intersection of biological engineering and artificial intelligence. Her work exemplifies the growing trend of dry lab computational methods enhancing traditional wet lab biological experiments. At MIT’s Bathe BioNanoLab, she investigated therapeutic applications for DNA origami—a method of folding DNA strands into specific shapes to create nanoscale structures for drug delivery.

Her technical contributions extend to the realm of computer vision within structural biology. While working at the New York Structural Biology Center, she refined models for particle detection in cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This technique involves freezing samples at extremely low temperatures to visualize molecular structures in high resolution, where automated particle picking is a critical bottleneck.

Beyond her research in DNA-scaffolded nanoparticles and cancer therapies, Spivakovsky has demonstrated a strong commitment to the MIT community. As a leader in the MIT Biotech Group and a frequent teaching assistant for complex signal processing and bioinstrumentation courses, she bridges the gap between advanced computation and life sciences. Her future goals involve developing robust, scalable solutions for global health equity.

MIT senior Katie Spivakovsky has been named a 2026 Churchill Scholar, a prestigious honor that will take her to Cambridge University to pursue an MPhil in biological sciences.

Spivakovsky’s academic trajectory sits at the intersection of biological engineering and artificial intelligence. Her work exemplifies the growing trend of dry lab computational methods enhancing traditional wet lab biological experiments. At MIT’s Bathe BioNanoLab, she investigated therapeutic applications for DNA origami—a method of folding DNA strands into specific shapes to create nanoscale structures for drug delivery.

Her technical contributions extend to the realm of computer vision within structural biology. While working at the New York Structural Biology Center, she refined models for particle detection in cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). This technique involves freezing samples at extremely low temperatures to visualize molecular structures in high resolution, where automated particle picking is a critical bottleneck.

Beyond her research in DNA-scaffolded nanoparticles and cancer therapies, Spivakovsky has demonstrated a strong commitment to the MIT community. As a leader in the MIT Biotech Group and a frequent teaching assistant for complex signal processing and bioinstrumentation courses, she bridges the gap between advanced computation and life sciences. Her future goals involve developing robust, scalable solutions for global health equity.