Austin-Texas December 2024
Postdocs |
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 | Yunling Deng Ph.D., Bioinorganic Chemistry, Dartmouth College, 2020 B.S., Chemistry, Nankai University, China, 2014 yunlingd@utexas.edu |
 | Yuting Wu Ph.D., Cell Biology, Peking University, China, 2017 B.Sc., Biology, Sichuan University, China, 2011 yuting.wu@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Casey Van Stappen D.Sc., Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Germany, 2019 M.Sc., University of Minnesota, Duluth, 2013 B.Sc., University of Minnesota, Duluth, 2011 casey.vanstappen@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Aaron P. Ledray Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of California Irvine, 2021 B.S., Biotechnology & Biomedical Sciences, Minors in Chemistry & Music, University of Central Florida, 2015 aledray@utexas.edu |
 | Zhenglin Yang Charles F. Kade Fellowship 2019 Ph.D., Biochemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2021 M.Sc., University of Toronto, 2015 B.S., Peking University, 2012 zhenglin.yang@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Mingkuan Lyu Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2022 B.S., Chemistry, Renmin University of China, China, 2017 mingkuan.lyu@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Zerui Zhou Ph.D., Analytical Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, 2024 M.Sc., Analytical Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology, 2021 B.Sc., Chemistry, Anhui Normal University, 2018 zerui.zhou@austin.utexas.edu |
Graduate Students |
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 | Annie Farrell Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2020 B.S., Chemistry, Northeastern Illinois University, 2020 B.A., Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2012 abfarrell@utexas.edu |
 | Valeria Garcia Biochemistry, 2020 B.S., Chemistry with Emphasis in Biochemistry, San Diego State University, 2020 vgarcia@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Hirbod Heidari Chemistry (Inorganic), 2019 B.S., Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, 2018 hirbodh2@austin.utexas.edu |
 | Linggen Kong Biophysics & Quantitative Biology, 2019 B.S., Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 2019 linggenk@utexas.edu |
 | Jingxiang Wang Chemistry (Inorganic), 2019 B.S., Chemistry, Peking University, China, 2019 jxwang@utexas.edu |
 | Ishika Rashed Chemistry (Analytical), 2021 B.A., Chemistry, University of North Texas, 2021 ishikarashed@utexas.edu |
 | Shreestika Pradhan Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2021 B.S., Biochemistry, University of Evansville, 2020 sp186@utexas.edu |
 | Aritra Roy Chemistry (Chemical Biology) 2022 B.Sc. (Honors in Chemistry) - St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India, 2019 M.S. (Chemical Science) - Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata (IISER-K), 2022 aritraroy1497@utexas.edu |
 | Lisa Phan Cell and Molecular Biology, 2022 B. S. in Biochemistry, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, 2022 dhp563@my.utexas.edu |
 | Elijah Garcia Thrust 2000 and Wayne Nance Family Endowed Graduate Fellowships in Engineering 2023 Chemical Engineering, 2022 B.S., Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2022 Elijah_garcia@utexas.edu |
 | Shuya Lu Chemistry(Chemical Biology), 2023 B.S., Chemistry(Chemical Biology), Nanjing University, 2023 shuya.lu@utexas.edu |
 | Jiaqing Xu Chemistry(Chemical Biology), 2023 M.Sc., Pesticide Science, China Agricultural University, China, 2023 B.S., Chemistry, China Agricultural University, China, 2020 jiaqingxu@utexas.edu |
 | Barshali Ghosh Chemistry (Inorganic), 2023 B.Sc. (Honors in Chemistry) - St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India, 2020 M.Sc. (Chemistry) - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT ISM) Dhanbad, 2023 barshalighosh@utexas.edu |
 | Dani Lawson Biochemistry (2023) B.S., Molecular and Cellular Biology, minor in Biochemistry, Baylor University, 2023 dani_lawson1@utexas.edu |
 | Da Huo Cell and Molecular Biology, 2023 M.Med., Beijing Gerontology Research Institute of Ministry of Health, China, 2022 B.S., Biological Science(Poling Class), Nankai University, China, 2018 d.huo@utexas.edu |
 | Kailee Kuo Shlipak Chemistry (Inorganic), 2024 B.S.,Chemistry, University of Southern California, 2024 shlipak@utexas.edu |
 | Lara Fitzpatrick Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2024 (Joint with the Rose Research Group) B.S., Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 2024 lnf535@utexas.edu |
 | Dibyangshu Das Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2024 (Joint with the Hull Research Group) B.Sc. (Honors in Chemistry) - St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, India, 2022 M.Sc. (Chemistry) - Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, India, 2024 dibyangshudas2024@utexas.edu |
 | Abigail Ramos Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2024 B.S., Biochemistry, Texas A&M University, 2024 abigailmramos@utexas.edu |
 | Woraporn Pengsook Chemistry (Inorganic), 2024 B.S., Chemistry, Kasetsart University, Thailand, 2023 woraporn.peng@utexas.edu |
 | Zhijie Xie Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2024 B.S., Chemistry (Poling Class), Nankai University, China, 2024 zhijiexie@utexas.edu |
 | Zijing Wu Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2024 B.S., Chemistry, Xiamen University, China, 2024 zijingwu@utexas.edu |
 | Caleb Hurst Chemistry (Inorganic), 2024 (Joint with the Rose Research Group) B.S., Chemistry, Southern Illinois University- Edwardsville, 2024 cahurst@utexas.edu |
Research Assistant |
|
 | Jacqueline Van Stappen M.Sc. International Degree in Technical and Applied Sciences, Hochschule Bremen, 2014 B.Sc. International Degree in Technical and Applied Sciences, Hochschule Bremen, 2013 jacqueline.vanstappen@utexas.edu |
Undergraduate Students |
|
 | He "Howard" Shi Sophomore, Chemical Engineering howardshi@utexas.edu |
 | Lucas Williams Senior, Biochemistry, Dean's Scholars Honors lucaswilliams@utexas.edu |
 | Mingyo Jeong Junior, Chemistry mingyo.jeong@utexas.edu |
Past Students |
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| Ph. D. Conferred | Year | Thesis | Current Position |
| Whitney M. Besetzny | 2025 | Development of Nucleic Acid-Based Sensors for Selective Coenzyme A Imaging, Swine Virus Detection, Metal Ion Sensing, and Gene Editing Applications | Kymera Therapeutics |
| Mandira Banik | 2024 | Probing How Differential Location and Abundance of Metabolites and Metal Ions Contribute to Cellular Signaling | Princeton BioLabs |
| Yiwei Liu | 2024 | Engineering Copper and Iron Metalloproteins to Understand Biological Redox Catalysis and Electron Transfer | Postdoc, Princeton U |
| Yu Zhou | 2024 | Exploration of the Biosynthesis of Polyketides and Fluorinated Compounds by Protein Engineering and Synthetic Biology | Postdoc, Princeton U |
| Weijie Guo | 2024 | Spatial Imaging of GlycoRNA with Aptamer and Exploration of Thrombin-interactive DNA in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps | Postdoc, Max Planck Institute, Germany |
| Mingkuan Lyu | 2022 | Methods and Applications of Using DNA-Cleaving DNAzymes to Cleave Double-Stranded DNA | Post Doc, UT Austin |
| Gregory T. Pawel | 2022 | Alternative Signal Transduction for Functional Nucleic Acid Sensors | Tech Transfer Manager, Vanderbilt U |
| Quan Lam | 2022 | Investigating the Role of Secodnary Coordination Sphere in Designed Metalloenzymes | Protein Engineering, Scientist Position, Encodia Inc. San Diego |
| Zhenglin Yang | 2021 | In vitro selection of DNAzymes selective for monovalent metal ions and their developement as sensors in living cells and organisms | Post Doc, UT Austin |
| Yiming Wang | 2021 | Quantitative analysis on the formation of metal nanocrystals | Post Doc, Harvard University |
| Ryan Lake | 2021 | Discovery of novel functional DNA and their applications as biological sensors | Peace Corp |
| Sudharsan Dwaraknath | 2021 | Engineering an Oxygen Storage Metalloprotein into Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen Reduction Metalloenzymes | Postdoc, Lawrence Berkeley Lab |
| Kevin A. Harnden | 2020 | Expanding the Chemistry of a Cupredoxin by Designing Nonnative Active Sites and using Abiological Metals | Postdoc, U. of Oregon |
| Evan N. Mirts | 2018 | Complex, Non-Native Heteronuclear Metal Centers Designed in Cytochrome C Peroxidase: Expanding the Limits of Biosynthetic Modeling | Research Scientist, Amgen |
| Chang Cui | 2018 | Engineering heme-copper and multi-copper oxidases for efficient oxygen reduction catalysis | Postdoc, MIT/Harvard |
| Nitya sai Reddy Satyavolu | 2018 | DNA as A Functional Molecule for Control of Nanomaterial Morphology and for Biosensing | Research Scientist, Intel |
| Claire E. McGhee | 2018 | In vitro selection of monovalent metal ion-dependent DNAzymes | Research Scientist, Intel |
| Julian Reed | 2017 | Characterizing a Structural and Functional Model of Nitric Oxide Reductase Performing NO and O2 Reduction in Engineered Myoglobin | Postdoc, DoD Construction and Engineering Research Laboratory |
| Ambika Bhagi | 2016 | Understanding Structure-Function Relations in Heme-Copper Oxidase Using Myoglobin-Based Enzyme Models | Assistant Professor, U of Minnesota |
| Igor Petrik | 2016 | Characterization and Design of Hydrogen Bonding Interactions in Oxygen Reduction by Engineered Myoglobins | Structural Biologist, Ambry Genetics |
| Kevin Hwang | 2015 | Cellular Metal Ion Sensing Using DNAzymes | Postdoc, MIT |
| Shiliang Tan | 2015 | Protein Engineering Using Azurin as the Scaffold: Capturing and Studying Novel Metal-Sulfenate and Metal-NO Species | Assistant Professor, Purdue University |
| Peiwen Wu | 2015 | DNAzymes as Intracellular Sensors for Metal Ion Imaging and their Structural Characterization | Research Scientist, Gilead |
| Parisa Hosseinzadeh | 2015 | Isolating, Characterizing, and Engineering Novel Cu-Proteins and Peroxidases | Assistant Professor, Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon |
| Li Huey Tan | 2015 | Studying the Interface Between DNA and Inorganic Nanoparticles to Control Shape and Anisotropicity | Research Scientist, Intel |
| Hang Xing | 2014 | Bioinspired DNA-Nanomaterial Conjugates for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications | Professor, Hunan U |
| Seyed-Fakhreddin Torabi | 2014 | In vitro Selection and Characterization of Mono-, Di-, and Trivalent Metal-Dependent DNAzymes and Their Biosensor Applications | Postdoc, Yale University |
| Yang Yu | 2014 | Metalloprotein Engineering with Unnatural Amino Acids: Application in Functional Heme-Copper Oxidase And Azurin | Associate Professor Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Science |
| Ngo Yin Wong | 2013 | Advances in Structural and Functional DNA Nanotechnology: Towards Complex and Dynamic Assemblies for In Vitro Applications | Research Scientist, Intel |
| Tian Lan | 2012 | I. Isolation of aptamers for perchlorate and melamine II. Attempts towards crystallization of DNAzymes III. A new DNAzyme based sensor for lead detection | CTO, GlucoScentient, Inc. |
| Tiffany Diane Wilson | 2012 | A Biosynthetic Approach to Understanding the Assembly of CuA Center | Postdoctoral researcher- U. of California at Berkeley |
| Ying He | 2011 | Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Study of the Global Folding of Functional DNAs And Electrohydrodynamic Printing of Protein Arrays | Research scientist (MRL of UIUC) |
| Kyle Miner | 2011 | Rational Design of Functional Heme Copper Oxidases in Myoglobin | Post Doctoral Fellow - UT San Antonio |
| Nick Marshall | 2011 | Fine-Tuning the Reduction Potential of Cupredoxin Proteins by Altering Secondary Coordination Sphere Interactions | Post Doctoral Fellow - UT Austin |
| Zidong Wang | 2011 | Bioinspired fabrication and assembly of hybrid materials for sensing and biomedical applications | Manager, Technical Operations at Siemens Healthcare |
| Eric L. Null | 2011 | Functional DNS: Biochemical/biophysical characterization & sensing applications | Senior Chemical Measurement Scientist at Corning Incorporated |
| Weichen Xu | 2010 | Smart MRI Contrast Agents and Label-Free Fluorescent Sensors Based on Functional Nucleic Acids and Mechanistic Studies of Metal-DNAzyme Interactions | Research Scientist, ANDalyze, Inc. |
| Nathan Sieracki | 2010 | Toward engineering oxygenase activity into the electron transport protein azurin | Staff Scientist, Department of Pharmacology, Univesrity of Illinois - Chicago |
| Kevin M. Clark | 2010 | Probing the roles of Metal binding ligands in cupredoxins: Incorporating nonproteinogenic amino acids into azurin and CuA azurin | Attorney, Kilpatrick, Townsend, & Stockton LLP |
| Nandini Nagraj | 2010 | Development Of Functional Dna-Based Sensors And Investigations Into Their Mechanism | Research Scientist, GE Research Center |
| Debapriya Mazumdar | 2009 | Investigation of Metal-Dependence in DNAzymes and Applications of DNAzymes and Aptamers for Diagnostics | Vice President of Product Development, DzymeTech, Inc. |
| Jung Heon Lee | 2009 | Bioinspired Assembly of Nanomaterials for Applications in Nanoelectronics and Biosensors | Assistant Professor, Sungkyunkwan University, Korea. |
| Natasha Yeung | 2008 | Modeling the FeB site of bacterial nitric oxide reductase | Postdoctoral researcher- Lawrence Berkeley Lab |
| Mehmet Veysel Yigit | 2008 | Novel MRI contrast agents based on Functional DNA and nanomaterial conjugates for biomedical applications | Assistant Professor- University at Albany, SUNY |
| Masha Savelieff | 2008 | Biosynthetic approach to protein models in long-range electron transfer | Assistant Prof, Michigan State Univ. |
| Dewain Garner | 2008 | Metalloprotein Design and Engineering Using Unnatural Amino Acids and Nonnative Cofactors | Research Scientist, Clorox Company |
| Hee-Kyung Kim | 2007 | Probing metal binding sites and metal ion-dependent conformational changes of a DNAzyme | Postdoctoral researcher- U. of California, Berkeley |
| Ningyan Wang | 2007 | Exploring the Roles of Heme Type and Histidine-Tyrosine Cross-Link in Heme-Copper Oxidases Using a Myoglobin Model | Research Scientist, ImmuVen, Champaign, IL |
| Daryl P. Wernette | 2007 | Immobilization of Catalytic DNA for Advanced Materials and Sensors | Research Scientist, Owens Corning |
| Thomas P. Pfister | 2006 | Metalloprotein Engineering using Heme Protein Scaffolds to Investigate the Oxidation of Endogenous Aromatic Amino Acids and Exogenous Substrates | Research Scientist, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., Frederick, MD |
| James R. Carey | 2006 | Design and Synthesis of Redox or Catalytically Active Artificial Metalloproteins Containing Non-native Inorganic and Organometallic Complexes | Associate Professor, National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
| Andrea K. Brown | 2006 | In vitro Selection and Characterization of Highly Selective Metal-Dependent DNAzymes with Potential Biosensor Applications | M.D. program- UIUC |
| Hee Jung Hwang | 2005 | Modulation of Metal Coordination and Redox Properties of the Engineered Purple Cu A and Ferrocene Centers in Azurin | Postdoctoral Researcher- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine |
| Kevin E. Nelson | 2005 | In vitro selection and metal selectivity of transition metal dependent DNAzymes | Assistant Professor (Clinical) of Pediatrics, University of Utah Health Care and Primary Children's Hospital |
| Juewen Liu | 2005 | Fluorescent and Colorimetric Biosensors Based On DNAzymes and DNA Aptamers | Assistant Professor, U. of Waterloo |
| Peter J. Bruesehoff | 2003 | In Vitro Selection and Characterization of Transition Metal-Dependent DNAzymes and RNAzymes | Research Scientist, Abbot Labs |
| Steven M. Berry | 2003 | Designing Novel Blue Copper and Purple Cu A Centers in Azurin with Natural and Unnatural Amino Acids | Associate Professor, U. of Minnesota at Duluth |
| Steven K. Ma | 2001 | Encapsulation of Achiral Mn(Salen) Complexes into Cytochrome c Peroxidase: Spectroscopic Characterizations and Epoxidation Studies | Product Manager, Lonza, Inc. |
| Jing Li | 2000 | In Vitro Selection of Highly Efficient DNA Enzymes as RNA Nucleases and Metal Biosensors | Staff Scientist, Genomic Institute of the Novartis Research Fdn. |
| Alan Gengenbach | 2000 | The Protein Redesign Approach to Modeling Manganese Peroxidase | Assistant Professor, U. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
| Jeffrey A. Sigman | 2000 | Metalloprotein Design | Professor, Saint Mary's College |
| Lynette A. Cunningham | 1999 | Studies of the Catalytic-Metal-Binding site in the Hammerhead Ribozyme using the Phosphorothioate Approach | Research Scientist, Colgate-Palmolive |
| Michael T. Hay | 1998 | Engineering a Purple Cu A Site into the Blue Copper Protein Azurin: Construction Spectroscopy, and Metal Substitution Studies | Associate Professor, Penn. State Beaver |
| M.S. Conferred | Year | Thesis Title | Current Position |
| Isabelle Rodriguez | 2023 | Delivery of DNAzyme-Based Biosensors for Metal Ion Sensing in Plants | |
| Brady Wells | 2021 | Using Myoglobin Models of Oxidases for Mechanistic Understanding of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction | |
| Rachel Martini | 2021 | Primary and Secondary Sphere Coordination in Heme Enzymes | Ph.D. program-UIUC |
| Zhe Shen | 2013 | Novel Methods for On-Site and Cost-Effective Quantification of Multiple Targets Using Functional DNA and Portable Instruments | |
| Darius Brown | 2013 | Ultrasensitive DNA Aptasensors Based on Exponential Amplification Reaction | Research Specialist- Cornel University |
| Hannah Ihms | 2012 | The In Vitro Selection and Biochemical Characterization of MetalloDNAzymes | |
| Bryant Kearl | 2012 | Characterization and Catalytic Application of an Engineered Cupredoxin Possessing a Potential in Excess of 1 Volt | Ph.D. program- Arizona State U. |
| Lanyu Lei | 2009 | Introduction and Modification of Hydrogen Bonding Network into the Active Site of an Engineered Myoglobin Model of Cytochrome c Oxidase | |
| Qian Chen | 2007 | Design and Engineering of Artificial Metalloenzymes for Asymmetric Catalysis: Investigation of Mn(Salen) Containing Myoglobin Catalyzing Sulfoxidation | Ph.D. program- Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne |
| Hyeon Keol Kim | 2003 | Engineering and Characterization of Heme-Copper Binuclear Center in Sperm Whale Myoglobin | MBA program- UIUC |
| Caroline Marie-Brigitte Pavot | 2001 | Metal Ion Interactions with Phosphorothioate and Phosphoroselenoate DNA/RNA and Biochemical Characterization of a Lead-Dependent Deoxyribozyme | |
| Marjorie C. Ang | 1998 | An Engineered Purple Cu A Site in Azurin: Understanding a Novel Copper Site in Biology | Research Scientist, Genencor Inc., CA |