Enver Cagri Izgu (Enver Çağrı İzgü)
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Full Member of Cancer Pharmacology Program, Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Faculty Member of Center for Lipid Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Postdoc, Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital
Research: Replication of genetic information / Systems chemistry of protocells
Advisor: Dr. Jack W. Szostak
Ph.D., University of Minnesota
Research: Total synthesis of plant alkaloids / Synthetic method development / NMR spectroscopy
Advisor: Dr. Thomas R. Hoye
B.Sc., METU
Research: Asymmetric Catalysis
Advisor: Dr. Ozdemir Dogan
Zhaojun (John) Jia
Postdoctoral Researcher
RU I-Corps Technical Lead
Ph.D., Peking University
M.E., Peking University
B.E., Sichuan University
John received his B.E. degree in Biomedical Engineering from Sichuan University, and his Ph.D. degree in Biomechanics and Medical Engineering from Peking University, China. He was trained in the areas of biomaterials science and engineering, bioimaging, surface chemistry, pathogenic and non-pathogenic cells, and small animal models.
John has a special talent in artistic rendering and graphical design. And he loves kites.
Huseyin Erguven
Postdoctoral Researcher
RU I-Corps Entrepreneurial Lead
Ph.D., McGill University
B.Sc., Bilkent University
Huseyin received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Bilkent University, Turkey. He successfully represented his national team in the International Chemistry Olympiads in London and Budapest. He then earned his Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from McGill University, Canada, where he built a strong skill-set in the chemistry of 1,3-dipoles, heterocyclic small molecules, and amide-containing macrocycles.
Rhia Stone
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ph.D., The University of Queensland
M.Sc., Victoria University of Wellington
B.Sc., Victoria University of Wellington
Rhia received her BSc and MSc degrees in Chemistry from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She then moved to Australia for her PhD at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences, the University of Queensland, during which she developed her skills in synthetic chemistry, microbiology, microscopy, and chemical biology.
Rhia enjoys knitting, crochet, cooking, and trying to pat all the animals.

Tushar Aggarwal
Graduate Researcher
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
B.Sc., University of Delhi
Tushar earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from University of Delhi and Master’s degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India. At IIT-Bombay, he was trained in chemical biology and acquired substantial theoretical knowledge in biopolymers and mechanisms of in vitro transcription and reverse transcription.
In addition to his multidisciplinary Ph.D. studies, Tushar serves in the CCB Graduate Student Organization board.

Bryan Gutierrez
Graduate Researcher
B.Sc., Pacific Lutheran University
Bryan earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Pacific Lutheran University. He participated in the RISE program at Rutgers and was awarded a SUPER-Grad Fellowship, reserved for top RISE students who return to Rutgers.
Bryan loves helping out people and he is the go-to person in the group. He has a special skill of walking long distances while only focusing on his cell phone.
Kern Hast
Graduate Researcher
B.E., University of Florida
Kern obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida. He specialized in biomaterials, cell biology, and materials chemistry in his undergraduate research and then worked in industry as an engineer.
Kern is a professional fencer, teaching fencing to youngsters. He fearlessly dives into complex problems in biotechnology and comes up with ideas to solve them. When the idea makes sense, he occasionally performs a sudden fencing move.
Melih Baci
Graduate Researcher
M.Sc., Texas A & M University
B.Sc., Bilkent University
Melih obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Bilkent University, Turkey. In his first year of undergrad, he successfully competed in the International Chemistry Olympiad in London. He then moved to Texas A&M University and earned his Master's degree by studying metal-organic frameworks for capture and degradation of organic pollutants.
Liming Wang
Graduate Researcher
B.Sc., Peking University
coming soon...
Jonathan Hong
Research Technician
B.A., Rutgers University
Jon obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience from Rutgers University. He conducted undergraduate research in the Izgu Lab, focusing mainly on the synthesis of unnatural nucleic acids and protein engineering. He is now working as a research technician while getting ready to go to medical school.
Jon loves contributing to society at large: He has worked as a learning assistant during his undergraduate education and actively participates in public outreach activities. He loves to dance, but he needs to work on his dance moves.
Caitlin Yeung
Undergraduate Researcher
Biochemistry of Microbial Systems
Rutgers University
Caitlin is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry of Microbial Systems at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She has interests in infectious diseases, virology, and immunology and hopes to work in industry in the future. She enjoys learning about new concepts and is determined to gain a new perspective on the applications of chemistry.
She also draws portraits in her spare time. And friends describe her as being like a cat.
Alumni
Thaybeth I. Malavé Méndez
Visiting Researcher (Summer 2018)
RISE Fellow at Rutgers University
Undergraduate Chemistry Student at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Anton Krotenok
High School Student (Summer 2018)
ACS Project SEED
Woodbridge Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences
Jiayu Zhang
Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019)
Rutgers, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Dylan Schroeder
Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019)
Rutgers, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Muhammad Sharaf
High School Student (Summer 2019)
ACS Project SEED
Ruchi Yadav
Graduate Researcher (2018-2019)
Rutgers, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Emmanuel F. Rivera Iglesias
Visiting Researcher (Summer 2019)
RISE Fellow at Rutgers University
Undergraduate Chemistry Student at
the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Aisha Mansoor
High School Student (Summer 2019)
ACS Project SEED
Bhavya Shah
Undergraduate Researcher (2017-2019)
Rutgers, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
Kyle White
Undergraduate Researcher (2018-2019)
Rutgers, School of Environmental
and Biological Sciences
George Guanga (2019-2020)
Undergraduate Researcher
Rutgers, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering