
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
Postdoctoral Fellows
Zhaojun (John) Jia
(2019–2021)
Ph.D., Peking University
Graduate Students
Ruchi Yadav
(2018–2019)
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
Undergraduate Students
Camden De Sanctis
(2021)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Biological Sciences
Jonathan Hong
(2019–2021)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Cell Biology and Neuroscience
George Guanga
(2019–2020)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Bhavya Shah
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Environmental and Biological Sciences
Emmanuel F. Rivera Iglesias
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Kyle White
(2018–2019)
B.Sc., Rutgers Environmental
and Biological Sciences
Jiayu Zhang
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Chemistry and Chemical Biology
Dylan Schroeder
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Rutgers, Environmental and Biological Sciences
Thaybeth I. Malavé Méndez
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2018)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
High School Students
Aisha Mansoor
(Summer 2019)
ACS Project SEED
Muhammad Sharaf
(Summer 2019)
ACS Project SEED
Anton Krotenok
(Summer 2018)
ACS Project SEED