Avika was a graduate student in the lab. He grew up in Portage, Michigan, and graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2021 with a B.A. in Chemistry and a concentration in Biochemistry. At Kalamazoo College, he was a research assistant with Dr. Blakely Tresca and completed his senior thesis in the synthesis of novel peptoid-coumarin antibiotics. He also studied abroad in Perth, Australia. Outside of lab, Avika enjoys playing basketball and tennis, watching movies, and traveling. After graduating from WashU, Avika went on to work as a researcher at Pfizer.