ESP Biography



MARCELA SILVERA TAFUR, [Chem+Bio+Physics] From Peru '25 @ Wellesley :)




Major: Chemistry / Chemistry Department

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2025

Picture of Marcela Silvera Tafur

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I'm junior majoring in Chemistry at Wellesley College, with an interest in chemical and physical applications in Biology. I'm currently working on a research project in Biochemistry and Biophysics on DNA hairpins, and considering pursuing a PhD in Biophysics after graduation. Besides research, I enjoy nothing in particular. You can find me at Wellesley preparing good Peruvian food to friends and strangers, walking around the lake and practicing my language skills with friends around campus.



Past Classes

  (Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

S15851: The shape of DNA is more than you can think of! in Splash 2023 (Nov. 18 - 19, 2023)
DNA is a well-known genetic material found in every living being that surrounds us, with it's (also) well-known double helix shape. But, watch out! DNA can form unimaginable shapes because of its physical properties. Let's learn together more about DNA as a nanomaterial that can form shapes like: Quadruplexes, Tetrahedral, Hairpin, and more. We'll go over fundamental aspects of the DNA structure, have an introduction to the physics and chemistry behind DNA, do an in-class DNA extraction activity, and finish off with a discussion about the future of DNA nanotechnology.