Peter Dykstra

Peter is a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at Stanford University. His thesis research with Prof. Christina Smolke focuses on the intersection of synthetic biology and regenerative medicine where he is developing a novel RNA-based platform for control of mammalian cell fate decisions. He also works with Dr. Megan J. Palmer on biosecurity and biopolicy projects, including the design of programs that educate government stakeholders on biosecurity threats. Peter is originally from La Mesa, CA and holds an MS in Bioengineering from Stanford University and a BS in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego. He is supported by a Graduate Research Fellowship award from the National Science Foundation. When he takes a break from science, Peter loves outdoor adventures, cheap international flights, and mixing live music.