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MIT Senior Katie Spivakovsky Wins 2026 Churchill Scholarship
Spivakovsky will pursue an MPhil in biological sciences at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at Cambridge University.
Published on Feb. 4, 2026
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MIT senior Katie Spivakovsky has been selected as a 2026-27 Churchill Scholar and will undertake an MPhil in biological sciences at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at Cambridge University in the U.K. this fall. Spivakovsky, who is double-majoring in biological engineering and artificial intelligence, aims to integrate computation and bioengineering in an academic research career focused on developing robust, scalable solutions that promote equitable health outcomes.
Why it matters
The Churchill Scholarship is a highly competitive fellowship that offers American students the opportunity to pursue a funded graduate degree in science, mathematics, or engineering at Cambridge University, furthering scientific exchange between the U.S. and U.K. Spivakovsky's selection highlights MIT's strength in producing top-tier STEM talent.
The details
At MIT's Bathe BioNanoLab, Spivakovsky investigates therapeutic applications of DNA origami, DNA-scaffolded nanoparticles for gene and mRNA delivery, and co-authored a manuscript in press at Science. She leads the development of an immune therapy for cancer cachexia with a team supported by MIT's BioMakerSpace, which earned a silver medal at the international synthetic biology competition iGEM and was published in the MIT Undergraduate Research Journal. Previously, she worked on Merck's Modeling & Informatics team and at the New York Structural Biology Center.
- Spivakovsky will undertake her MPhil at Cambridge University this fall.
The players
Katie Spivakovsky
An MIT senior double-majoring in biological engineering and artificial intelligence, with minors in mathematics and biology, who aims to integrate computation and bioengineering in an academic research career focused on developing robust, scalable solutions that promote equitable health outcomes.
Kim Benard
The associate dean of distinguished fellowships at MIT, who says Spivakovsky is a "brilliant researcher who has a keen intellectual curiosity that will make her a leader in biological engineering in the future."
What they’re saying
“Katie is a brilliant researcher who has a keen intellectual curiosity that will make her a leader in biological engineering in the future. We are proud that she will be representing MIT at Cambridge University.”
— Kim Benard, Associate Dean of Distinguished Fellowships, MIT (Mirage News)
What’s next
Spivakovsky will begin her MPhil program in biological sciences at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at Cambridge University in the U.K. this fall.
The takeaway
Spivakovsky's selection as a Churchill Scholar highlights MIT's strength in producing top-tier STEM talent and the university's commitment to fostering the next generation of leaders in fields like biological engineering and computational biology.
