Our Team

Principal Investigator

Constantin Takacs

Constantin (Nick) Takacs, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)

Assistant Professor of Biology
College of Science, Northeastern University
c[dot]takacs[at]northeastern[dot]edu  | @NickTakacs86

Constantin (Nick) Takacs graduated from Yale College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He then received his Ph.D. from Rockefeller University in 2016, where he studied liver biology and hepatitis C virus with Drs. Sanford Simon and Charles Rice. Nick completed postdoctoral training in Dr. Christine Jacobs-Wagner’s laboratory at HHMI, Yale University, and Stanford University, and was instructed in the art of growing and performing genetics in B. burgdorferi by Dr. Patricia Rosa of the Rocky Mountain Laboratories (NIAID, NIH). 

Nick is energized by the beauty of microscopy images, the elegance of genetic techniques, and by science that aims to improve human life. He is committed to teaching and mentoring new generations of scientists. Outside of the lab, Nick enjoys cooking, gardening, and classical music.

Lab Members

Image of Cooper Wilkinson

Cooper Wilkinson (He/Him/His)

Graduate student in Biology
wilkinson[dot]co[at]northeastern[dot]edu

Cooper obtained his B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts Boston in 2023, where he researched the physiological causes and effects of retrotransposon dysregulation in the brain. Cooper has extended his passion for investigating novel DNA behaviors as a graduate student in the Biology Department at Northeastern University, where he is advised by Dr. Nick Takacs and Dr. Tovah Day. Here, Cooper aims to understand the enigmatic genome of Borrelia burgdorferi and its unique features that enable persistent infection in humans. In his free time, Cooper enjoys listening to music, concerts, cooking, and running.

Image of Natalie Desilets

Natalie Desilets (She/Her/Hers)

Biochemistry Honors Undergraduate Student
Northeastern University class of 2024
desilets[dot]n[at]northeastern[dot]edu

Natalie is a biochemistry major and psychology minor with an interest in infectious diseases. Her experiences researching COVID-19, Typhoid fever, and now Lyme disease have made her excited to explore the intersection between immunology, biochemistry, and genetics. She hopes to pursue a PhD to further expand her understanding of these topics.

Image of Chris Zinck

Christopher Zinck, Ph.D. (He/Him/His)

Postdoctoral Associate
c[dot]zinck[at]northeastern[dot]edu

Chris received a BSc (2016) and MSc (2019) in Biology from Mount Allison University where he first started studying tick-borne diseases. Chris then received his PhD in Veterinary Microbiology (2023) from the University of Saskatchewan studying the evolutionary relationships between bacterial phenotypes of Borrelia burgdorferi. Chris started in the Takacs lab in 2023 and continues his research into Borrelia now using genetics and imaging approaches. Chris is fascinated by evolutionary tradeoffs particularly in the complex life history of vector-transmitted pathogens and the forces of selection that dictate these tradeoffs. Beyond research, Chris enjoys old movies, architecture tours, and exploring new parks with his dog.

Image of Declan Houlihan

Declan Houlihan (He/Him/His)

Research Technician
de[dot]houlihan[at]northeastern[dot]edu

Declan is studying Borrelia burgdorferi’s highly segmented genome using fluorescence microscopy and genetic methods. He is also developing new genetic manipulation techniques that will improve our ability to manipulate B. burgdorferi.