Austin-Texas December 2023
Postdocs |
|
 | 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 |
 | Xiangli Shao Ph.D., Nutrition and Food Safety, China Agricultural University, China, 2022 B.S., Food Science and Engineering, Sichuan Agricultural University, China, 2015 xs3839@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 |
Graduate Students |
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 | Mandira Banik Enta Fellowship 2019 Chemistry (Chemical Biology), 2019 B.S.A., Chemistry, UT Austin, 2019 mandirabanik@austin.utexas.edu |
 | 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 |
 | Whitney (Lewis) Besetzny Chemistry (Analytical), 2020 B.S., Chemistry, Saint Mary’s College, 2020 wmlewis2@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 B.S., Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 2024 lnf535@utexas.edu |
 | Dibyangshu Das Chemistry (Organic), 2024 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 |
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 |
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 | 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 |
Administrator |
|
 | Leslie Hilker Assistant to Dr. Yi Lu and Lu group administrator leslie.hilker@austin.utexas.edu |
Past Students |
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| Ph. D. Conferred | Year | Thesis | Current Position |
| 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 |