Majo
Duran
SYNTHETIC IMMUNOLOGY
PHD AT MIT | COSTA RICAN
About
Picture a small house with a tarp floor and a corrugated metal roof in Costa Rica (the one in the photo). Although simple, it held some of the most inspiring stories of my life. I saw my mom become a dean without ever having a college degree, and my grandmother run a restaurant for 40 years without finishing primary school.
Growing up surrounded by women who turned challenges into opportunities, I learned early on to see obstacles not as limits, but as fuel to make the impossible a reality.
I’m Majo, the first Costa Rican at the MIT Bioengineering program 🇨🇷
My research focuses on building synthetic immune circuits that act like neurons, able to sense context, process information, and adapt their response in real time. Earlier, at the Roybal Lab, I co-developed SNIPRs to recognize soluble cues (Nature co-first author) and designed in vivo libraries to advance CAR T therapies.
Along the way, I’ve moved between academia, startups, and venture capital, learning how to take science out of the lab and into the world. As the first hire at a startup, I helped build it from the ground up, and later, I supported deep-tech founders through venture capital. Excited to connect!
My Highlights
My mom (26 y.o.) & me (6 y.o.), Costa Rica
I discovered synthetic biology at iGEM, the world’s biggest competition, where I represented Costa Rica. When science laws slowed us down, I pushed for policy conversations; when funding ran short, I used my background as a tap dance teacher and directed a dance show at a national theater, finally raising $15,000. These moments showed me that science wasn't just about experiments, but also about resilience, creativity, and finding your way.
Silver winners, iGEM 2019
"Science through Dance" show, directed by me
iGEM Competition, Boston 2019
Still an undergrad, I joined Compound Food at its inception, a venture-backed startup reimagining coffee through biotechnology. I built its fermentation lab from the ground up, led development of core technologies, and helped secure the company’s first patent, combining synthetic biology, microbiology, and chemistry
As a visiting researcher at Rice, I first discovered synthetic biology for immunology. I then joined the Roybal Lab at UCSF as a Junior Specialist, where I quickly went from supporting projects to co-leading one that became a Nature paper with Dr. Kole Roybal and Nobel laureate Dr. David Baker. I also secured independent funding usually reserved for PhDs and postdocs, allowing me to lead my own work.
Roybal Lab, UCSF
I decided to use my "free time" to build biotech communities across global hubs and collaborate with the venture capital ecosystem in the Bay Area. I’ve supported founders translating frontier science into startups, connected scientists with investors and advisors, with a mission of founding deep tech founders tackling civilization’s biggest challenges.
Synbiobeta, San Francisco
La Nacion, Costa Rica
This journey led me to be the first Costa Rican in MIT’s Bioengineering PhD program, where I’m engineering immune cells with circuits that can sense their environment and adapt in real time, opening the door to more precise and accessible therapies.
For me, this isn’t just about science, it’s about showing what’s possible for young scientists in Latin America, and creating the paths to turn bold ideas into impact!