Meet Jayesh Aher

Jayesh Aher

I hope to use my background in membrane biophysics to develop an AI-assisted high-throughput workflow to evolve self-dividing liposomes., by exploring the full parameters space of liposomes composed of complex mixture lipids and in the presences of proteins that alters the membrane stiffness.

Hi everyone!

I’m Jayesh! I am joining the EVOLF consortium through a PhD position in the lab of Prof. Dr. Wilhelm T.S. Huck at Radboud University. Before starting my work at Radboud. Previously, I studied Life Sciences at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, India. For my master’s project, I worked in membrane biology lab, where I focused on host–pathogen interactions using in vitro minimal systems. My research explored how Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) manipulates its phagosomal compartment to control its intracellular fate. We showed that, beyond effector-mediated manipulation, the bacterial surface itself acts as a direct mechanical agent of membrane remodelling. This revealed a previously unrecognized biophysical switch: The findings suggest that Mtb can choose between persisting in a protective compartment or escaping into the cytosol depending on environmental conditions. In addition, I was also involved in parallel work showing how lipid membranes regulate α-Synuclein (α-Syn) phase separation and fibrillation at physiologically relevant sub-critical concentrations—well below levels previously reported for bulk phase separation.

I hope to use my background in membrane biophysics to develop an AI-assisted high-throughput workflow to evolve self-dividing liposomes., by exploring the full parameters space of liposomes composed of complex mixture lipids and in the presences of proteins that alters the membrane stiffness. I am excited to be able to contribute to a small part of the journey towards the creation of a synthetic cell.

When I’m not working, I enjoy painting, cooking (with a soft spot for traditional food), and cycling. I love traveling and discovering new places, and I’m always up for a weekend adventure with good company.