Hadley D. Sikes

Hadley D. Sikes is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT, holding the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Career Development Professorship. She leads the Sikes Lab, focusing on biomolecular engineering, redox biology, and clinical diagnostics. Her research develops innovative diagnostic tools and explores H₂O₂ signaling in cancer therapies. Sikes joined MIT in 2009 after postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado and Caltech. She earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Stanford University (2003) and a B.S. from Tulane University (1997).

Education:

• Ph.D., Stanford University, Physical Chemistry (2003)
• B.S., Tulane University, Chemistry (1997)

Research Interests: Her lab investigates epigenetic modifications, redox-directed cancer therapies, and diagnostic technologies. Key projects include improving medical diagnostics for diseases like malaria and cancer, and developing paper-based assays for rapid disease detection. She emphasizes ethical research practices, student well-being, and fostering an inclusive lab environment.

Awards & Recognition:

• Willard Henry Dow Professorship of Chemical Engineering (2023)
• MIT Committed to Caring (C2C) Award (2019)
• ACS Best of BIOT Award (2018)
• NAE Innovative Young Engineer (2017)

Grants & Advising: Sikes mentors students holistically, prioritizing mental health and work-life balance. Her lab has pioneered methods to reduce student isolation and improve lab dynamics. She actively advises on career development, balancing academic rigor with personal growth.

Labs & Teams: The Sikes Lab is part of MIT’s Chemical Engineering Department, collaborating with institutions globally on projects like SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing and cancer metabolism studies. Their work bridges fundamental research with clinical applications.