IZGU LAB

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 

Huseyin Erguven

Postdoctoral Fellow (he135@chem.rutgers.edu) 

Biomimetic Protocells and Lipid-Based Biosensors

Redox Physiochemistry

Functional Small Molecules and Nucleic Acids

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 Fellow (ms3171@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Microbiology and Mammalian Cells

Redox Physiochemistry and Cellular Homeostasis

Biomimetic Protocells and Lipid-Based Biosensors

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 Student (ta384@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

M.Sc., IIT, Bombay

B.Sc., University of Delhi

Designer Aptamers and Ribozymes

Protein Engineering and Enzyme Modification

Redox Physiochemistry

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. Besides his multidisciplinary Ph.D. studies, Tushar serves in the CCB Graduate Student Organization board.

Bryan Gutierrez

Graduate Student (bg434@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

B.Sc., Pacific Lutheran University

Biomimetic Protocells and Lipid-Based Biosensors

Membrane Chemistry and Lipase Catalysis

Functional Small Molecules and Nucleic Acids

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 Student (krh116@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

B.E., University of Florida

Designer Aptamers, Ribozymes, and Biosensors

Surface Functionalization and Biomaterials

DNA Computing

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 fencing moves.

Melih Baci

Graduate Student (mb1941@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Hydrogels, Surface Functionalization, Biomaterials

Microbiology

Functional Small Molecules

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 Student (lw641@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Designer Aptamers, Ribozymes, and Biosensors

Biomimetic Protocells and Coacervates

Functional Small Molecules

B.Sc., Peking University

Liming received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Peking University. During his undergraduate studies, he worked on allosteric inhibitor development and gained major skills in organic synthesis and in vitro enzyme kinetics.

Caitlin Yeung

Undergraduate Student (cy285@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Protein Engineering and Enzyme Modification

Molecular Biology and Microbiology

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. 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.

Hakan Guven

Undergraduate Student (hg373@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Membrane Chemistry and Lipase Catalysis

Functional Small Molecules

Chemistry

Rutgers University

Hakan is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with an emphasis on chemical biology at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences. He is interested in synthetic organic chemistry and is fascinated with the interplay of biochemistry and physiology. During his senior year at Upper St. Clair High School, he was a finalist at the ACS 2021 US National Chemistry Olympiad. Outside of the lab, Hakan plays and teaches piano. He enjoys solving intricate puzzles and playing chess. His favorite season is winter, when he can go snowboarding with his friends.

Sammy Hansali

Undergraduate Student (sh1436@scarletmail.rutgers.edu) 

Designer Aptamers, Ribozymes, and Biosensors

DNA Computing

Chemistry

Molecular Biology and Biochemistry

Rutgers University

Sammy is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences. He aspires to translate curiosity-driven research into solving big problems and improving quality of life, and to bring innovative technologies to commercialization. He is interested in autonomous theranostics using biological computers and macromolecules designed from first principles. He is also interested in better simulating biophysical systems.

Alumni