Ben is Canadian by birth and a New Yorker by choice. After leaving the snow-capped mountains of Vancouver, BC, he first moved to the city in 2009 to study biochemistry and Jewish history at Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, graduating with a BS and BA in early 2014. During his time as an undergrad, he was first exposed to infectious disease research by focusing on phenazine production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After graduation, Ben worked as a technician at Columbia University Medical Center, assisting in research on lymphomas before matriculating at the Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School in July 2014.  At GSK, Ben researched the mechanisms regulating pericentromeric methylation in a zebrafish model of the primary immune deficiency ICF syndrome. In the Hohl Lab since August 2017, Ben currently researches the role of platelets in anti-Aspergillus immune defense. In his spare time, he can be found exploring the mountains of Upstate New York, cycling through the hills of Bergen and Rockland Counties, finding and eating delicious food in NYC’s outer boroughs, or running through Central Park with his rescue dog, Yoda.

Fellowships

• Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Fellowship, NIH Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (2020)