About
Who We Are
With the rise of powerful technologies came capabilities our ancestors couldn’t possibly conceive of: Life-saving medicines and remedies for ailments once thought incurable, passenger trips abroad in multi-ton flying tubes, spacefaring rovers on Mars, and, of course, the sum total of humanity’s knowledge on a tiny box that fits in your pocket.
Unfortunately, not everybody has access to the tools or education needed to continue down this trajectory of scientific discovery. Many tools have been siloed off, accessible to a select few at prestigious universities and research facilities. We aim to change that – At Cytopirate Labs, we believe that the more people who have access to these tools, the further we can progress as a species. Open access is our MO.
We’re a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Amherst, Massachusetts with one simple goal: To bring engagement in the scientific process out of exclusive universities and to all the members of our community. We believe that with the right tools, anybody can use the scientific method to engage the natural world all around us.
Meet the Team
Thomas Scudder
Thomas Scudder
Thomas Scudder
M.Sc. Molecular Biophysics, M.Sc. Neuroscience
Thomas first conceived of Cytopirate Labs in 2015 and in became a co-founder in 2020, helping to launch Western Massachusetts’ firs community biolab and makerspace. A Massachusetts native, he began at Cape Cod Community College and earned a B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology with minors
M.Sc. Molecular Biophysics, M.Sc. Neuroscience
Thomas first conceived of Cytopirate Labs in 2015 and in became a co-founder in 2020, helping to launch Western Massachusetts’ firs community biolab and makerspace. A Massachusetts native, he began at Cape Cod Community College and earned a B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology with minors in Mathematics and Physics from UMass Amherst. He holds M.Sc. degrees in Cellular & Molecular Biology (Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics focus) and in Neuroscience, and is a Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. His research centers on the phosphatases PP1 and PP2A in synaptic function and neurodevelopment, including de novo variants linked to intellectual disability and autism.
Richard Noble
Thomas Scudder
Thomas Scudder
B.A. Microbiology
A Western Massachusetts native, Rick studied at Hampshire College, where he majored in Microbiology. His final thesis work involved a community project focused on yeast culturing. With COVID limiting the scope of this project, he was motivated to work on more community science projects.
Alejo Zacarias
Alejo Zacarias
Alejo Zacarias
B.A. Microbiology
Alejo studied microbiology, molecular physiology, and genetics at Hampshire College and UMass Amherst. He is currently a molecular microbiologist at Oxford Biomedica Solutions, where he is involved in plasmid and AAV process development. His interest in democratizing science sprang from his time at Hampshire College, wher
B.A. Microbiology
Alejo studied microbiology, molecular physiology, and genetics at Hampshire College and UMass Amherst. He is currently a molecular microbiologist at Oxford Biomedica Solutions, where he is involved in plasmid and AAV process development. His interest in democratizing science sprang from his time at Hampshire College, where social justice and intersectional research is encouraged. He hopes to make science more accessible to marginalized BIPOC by providing an open space for scientific inquiry, collaboration, and networking.
Robert Cook
Alejo Zacarias
Alejo Zacarias
B.Sc. Mathematical Physics
Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Rob earned his degree in Mathematical Physics from Binghamton University. He has has many years of experience teaching various STEM topics to people from all walks of life, and is excited to bring what he knows to Cytopirate Labs.