ESP Biography

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

Major: Chemistry / Chemistry Department

College/Employer: MIT

Year of Graduation: 2025

Brief Biographical Sketch:

I'm senior majoring in Chemistry at Wellesley College, with an interest in chemical and physical applications in Biology. 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)

S16161: DNA Nanotechnology: Building Big with the Smallest Blocks in Splash 2025 (Mar. 15 - 16, 2025)

DNA is the building block of life and a powerful tool in nanotechnology. Let’s unravel the nanoscale world of DNA! We’ll explore the research and techniques used in DNA nanotechnology. Get ready to discover how scientists fold DNA like origami, revolutionize drug delivery, and unlock many more wonders of the tiniest building blocks of life

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.