Meet the Faculty
Introduction
Biological Sciences welcomes three new faculty to its rosters!
Assistant Professor Kevin Boergens joined UIC in 2022 in the departments of Biological Sciences and Physics. His research interests include neural circuit mapping through the development of high-throughput electron microscopy imaging systems. After earning his PhD in Biology from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany in 2018, he held the positions of Director of Research and Hardware Development Lead at Paradromics, a neurotechnology development firm. During this time, he worked on a long- lasting and efficient brain machine interface for patients with quadriplegia and ALS. Dr. Boergens has published fourteen scientific articles in journals such as Nature, Science, and Nature Methods. His research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, among others.
Assistant Professor Rupinder Kaur who will join BIOS in January 2026. Dr. Kaur will launch her independent laboratory, integrating cell and molecular biology, genetics, epigenetics, biochemistry, synthetic biology, advanced imaging such as super-resolution and light-sheet microscopy, and chromatin profiling approaches to explore how Wolbachia influences host reproduction, immunity, development, and behavior. Her lab seeks to uncover fundamental mechanistic principles of host-microbe interactions and translate these insights into innovative, sustainable strategies for vector control. Dr. Kaur received her Ph.D. in 2017 from the University of Vienna, Austria, in collaboration with the Edmund Mach Foundation in Italy and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Her research has been published in such journals as PLoS Biology and Science.
Teaching Professor Sayali Kukday joined BIOS in Fall 2025. She is a scientist, educator, and mentor who is passionate about using evidence-based strategies to engage students in the fascinating world of genetics. Dr. Kukday also conducts research that informs teaching practices and may lead to teaching reform. Some past and current projects include studying the impact of collaboration on student sense of belonging, measuring societal educational debts to students with minoritized identities, instructor perceptions of discussions about race, racism, and racial equity in undergraduate biology courses, and mentoring instructors to develop case studies. Professor Kukday earned her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Georgia in 2012.