Do you want to hear about our students' experiences in the program? Do you wonder how they got to where they are now? Feel free to reach out to our students below.
Anvitha Marlapati
C/O 2027, Cell Biology, Development, and Physiology
Anvitha Marlapati was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is passionate about bridging scientific innovation, patient care, and business to improve healthcare outcomes. At UC Berkeley, she has explored these interests through experiences spanning biomedical research, clinical care, and healthcare strategy. Her research experiences include investigating targeted protein stabilization at Novartis, where she studied a novel therapeutic approach for mutant p53, as well as conducting immunotherapy and viral vector research focused on CAR-T cells and gene delivery at the Sino American Cancer Foundation. She has also gained a patient-centered perspective on healthcare through pediatric clinical research at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital and her work as a Registered Behavior Technician providing direct behavioral care to pediatric patients.
On campus, Anvitha serves as Student Chair of the Molecular and Cell Biology Undergraduate Student Association and as an Associate of Corporate Relations for Berkeley Haas Finance Group. She is also involved in the Healthcare Business Association at Berkeley and Atlas Consulting Group. Through these experiences, she has developed a strong interest in not only how new therapies are discovered, but also how business and strategy can help bring scientific innovation to patients. Looking ahead, she hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of medicine, biotechnology, and healthcare investment strategy. In her free time, Anvitha enjoys playing volleyball, trying new fine-dining restaurants, and spending time in the mountains and at the beach.
Devan Melwani
C/O 2027, Molecular Therapeutics
Devan Melwani is from Mountain View, California, and is passionate about developing actionable solutions within the healthcare space that improve organizational performance and impact. Through his time at UC Berkeley, he has explored a wide range of experiences at the intersection of healthcare, consulting, business, and leadership. Devan currently serves as External Vice President of Healthcare Consulting Group, where he oversees recruitment, professional development, and external relations. Within the Life Sciences, Business, and Entrepreneurship program, he also serves as Co-President of Atlas Strategy Group and Director of Strategic Operations. Beyond consulting, Devan is President of Pride Business Association and has remained involved in peer mentorship and academic support, previously serving on the Data C8 course staff and now working as a Haas undergraduate tutor. This past summer, Devan interned in life sciences consulting at ZS Associates in New York, an experience that strengthened his interest in pursuing healthcare and life sciences consulting after graduation. Outside of his academic and professional commitments, Devan has been involved with Zahanat, UC Berkeley’s Bollywood dance team, for the past three years and served as captain last year. He also enjoys running, hiking, going to the beach, and spending time outdoors. You can reach him at devanmelwani@berkeley.edu.
Irmak Atilgan
C/O 2027, Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development
Irmak Atilgan is from Istanbul, Turkey, and is passionate about developing affordable and accessible gene editing-based therapeutics for disease and aging. She was drawn to LSBE to build both the technical and business fluency needed to close the disconnect between the development and commercialization of CRISPR-based therapeutics. At Berkeley, Irmak is pursuing a minor in Data Science alongside LSBE, and is conducting research in the Dillin Lab, using CRISPR to study mitochondrial mechanisms of aging. She has previously conducted wet lab research in the Innovative Genomics Institute's Murthy Lab and interned in R&D at Design Therapeutics. Irmak is also a Fung Fellow in the Health + Innovation track, and teaches the "Issues: Berkeley Medical Journal" DeCal, serving as president of its associated student organization. After graduation, she plans to pursue a PhD in genetics focused on gene-editing mechanisms for therapeutic development, with the long-term goal of transitioning into strategy and eventually founding her own biotech startup. Outside of academics, Irmak enjoys sailing, cooking, reading, and making her own clothes. Feel free to reach out to her at irmak.atlgn@berkeley.edu.
Maxwell Love
C/O 2027, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Maxwell grew up in the Bay Area and is energized by building and financing innovative healthcare companies at their critical inflection points.
He began his undergraduate career conducting cardiovascular research in the Krauss lab at UCSF. In between experiments, Maxwell learned about entrepreneurship by taking calls with biotech founders, trading notes with investors, and advocating for healthcare policy reform as a senior fellow at No Patient Left Behind. He later supported investment teams at NEA and Longitude Capital, evaluating opportunities across funding stages and therapeutic areas.
Most recently, Maxwell joined the founding team of a computational biology startup that then raised over $500k in venture funding to develop AI-native RNA design tools for protein engineering labs. Outside of classes, Maxwell served as the President of NextGen Consulting, helping lead engagements with organizations including Pfizer and Cigna, and contributed to the LSBE community as an Integration Associate on the student board. He also volunteered with Matriculate, providing pro-bono college advising that helped FGLI students secure over $350k in scholarships.
Looking ahead, Maxwell is excited to join the Biopharma M&A team at Centerview Partners as an investment banking analyst. Beyond work, Maxwell loves snowboarding, poker, and posting performatively on Beli. He can be reached at mlove27@berkeley.edu.
Matthew Amunategui
C/O 2028, Molecular Therapeutics
Matthew is from Miami, Florida, and is passionate about regenerative medicine, stem cell biology, and tissue engineering. At Berkeley, he works in the Dillin Lab, studying aging, longevity, and cellular stress to understand why cells lose their capacity to regenerate over time. Before Berkeley, he spent time in the Craft Lab at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute engineering soft tissues from embryonic stem cells, and the Dodge Lab at UPenn’s McKay Orthopaedic Labs, investigating growth factors that induce cartilage regeneration. Beyond the lab, Matthew is a co-founder of a startup that uses involuntary eye movements to detect impairment. On campus, he now serves as the Director of Ventures for the Berkeley Business Society, where he previously consulted for Merck, AMD, Perplexity, and KIND Snacks; he’s also a member of Health Engine, a student-run health-tech startup accelerator. Looking ahead, Matthew hopes to pursue a PhD, focused on engineering musculoskeletal tissues from stem cells, to transform orthopedic surgery and regenerative medicine. You can reach him at mattamun@berkeley.edu.
Vivek Nalluri
C/O 2027, Molecular Therapeutics
Vivek is from Mountain House, California and is interested in how business strategy can be applied to improve healthcare access and delivery, with a particular interest in chronic disease prevention as a tool for long-term lifestyle change. At Berkeley, he is involved with Phoenix Consulting Group, where he has worked on healthcare-focused projects, and he teaches the “Introduction to Healthcare Consulting” DeCal. He will be spending his summer working in healthcare consulting. Outside of consulting, Vivek has participated in research investigating the mechanisms and geographic disparities of cardiovascular disease at UCSF. He is also engaged in community health initiatives as the Co-President of Jeeva Clinic, which has shaped his interest in addressing gaps in care for underserved populations. Vivek also works as a medical assistant, gaining direct exposure to patient care. Looking ahead, he plans to attend medical school. In his free time, Vivek enjoys trying new food, hiking, and spending time with friends and family. You can reach him at vivek.nalluri@berkeley.edu.