Enver Cagri Izgu (Enver Çağrı İzgü)
Postdoc, Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
Research: Replication of genetic information, Systems chemistry of protocells
Advisor: Dr. Jack W. Szostak
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, USA
Research: Total synthesis of alkaloids, synthetic method development, NMR spectroscopy
Advisor: Dr. Thomas R. Hoye
B.Sc., Middle East Technical University (METU), Turkiye
Research: Asymmetric Catalysis
Advisor: Dr. Ozdemir Dogan
Honors and Awards
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University – New Brunswick, USA
Full Member of Cancer Pharmacology Program, Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Faculty Member of Center for Lipid Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Trailblazer Award, The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Institutional Research Grant Early Investigator Award, American Cancer Society
Interstellar Initiative Awardee, The New York Academy of Sciences and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Arthur Klorfein Scholarship, Marine Biological Laboratory
Charles and Johanna Busch Biomedical Grant Award, Rutgers University
Young Scientist Award (National Scholarship Program), The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye
Highest Distinction, Ranked #1 in Chemistry, METU
Tushar Aggarwal
Graduate Student (ta384@scarletmail.rutgers.edu)
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
B.Sc., University of Delhi
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
Polymerase Engineering
Redox Biochemistry
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.
Kern Hast
Graduate Student (krh116@scarletmail.rutgers.edu)
B.E., University of Florida
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
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)
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
Artificial Cells
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.
Marquel Joshua Dresel
Graduate Student (mjd458@scarletmail.rutgers.edu)
B.Sc., University of Minnesota
Functional Small Molecules
Biosensors
Mark Graduated with his B.Sc in chemistry from the University of Minnesota. There he worked towards the development of lanthanide-based anion sensors and phosphorescent probes. He is a long way from growing up on a cattle ranch competing in rodeos to using all the stir plates in the lab. He has only three fears: excel graphs, poor column resolution, the oxford comma and counting.
Zayna Bajwa
Undergraduate Student (zab25@scarletmail.rutgers.edu)
Artificial Cells
Molecular Biology and Microbiology
Cell Biology and Neuroscience
Rutgers University
Zayna is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry of Microbial Systems at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She is interested in studying neurodegenerative diseases and the protein chemistry underlying them. She enjoys learning about evolutionary chemistry and genetics. In her free time, she enjoys reading and playing video games. She’s currently learning how to play the guitar.
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
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.
Haia Mohsen
Undergraduate Student (haia@berkeley.edu)
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
Functional Small Molecules
Molecular and Cellular Biology
University of California, Berkeley
Haia is a visiting undergraduate student from UC Berkeley, where she is currently studying Molecular and Cellular Biology with a concentration in Neurobiology. She hopes to conduct research in the future on the underlying causes and potential treatments of neurodegenerative diseases. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, writing, and visiting museums and art exhibits.
Aditya Sivakumar
Undergraduate Student (as3467@scarletmail.rutgers.edu)
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
Functional Small Molecules
Chemistry
Rutgers University
Aditya is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry with a focus on chemical biology in the School of Arts and Sciences. He is interested in synthetic organic chemistry and desires to learn more about its application to biologically relevant systems. In his free time Aditya enjoys cycling and baking.
Naiya Bharvard
High School Student (nbharvad25@lawrenceville.org)
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
Molecular Reporters
STEM
The Lawrenceville School
Naiya is a high school student currently attending The Lawrenceville School, a private boarding school located in Lawrenceville, NJ. She is an ACS Project SEED fellow, working on the chemistry of fluorogenic aptamer systems. She hopes to pursue premed during her undergraduate years and in turn attend medical school. In her free time, she loves to dance, watch movies, and spend time with her family.
Mahazabin Akther
High School Student (mahazabinaa@gmail.com)
Designer Functional Nucleic Acids
Molecular Reporters
STEM
Piscataway High School
Mahazabin is a rising senior currently attending Piscataway High School, located in Piscataway, NJ, where she is a member of the engineering academy. She is an ACS Project SEED student, learning about fluorogenic aptamer systems. She hopes to major in chemical engineering during college and pursue graduate studies. During her free time, she enjoys crocheting, reading, and solving puzzles.
Alumni
Postdoctoral Fellows
Zhaojun (John) Jia
(2019–2021)
Ph.D., Peking University
Rhia Stone
(2020–2022)
Ph.D., The University of Queensland
Huseyin Erguven
(2020–2022)
Ph.D., McGill University
Graduate Students
Ruchi Yadav
(2018–2019)
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
Bryan Gutierrez
(2017–2023)
B.Sc., Pacific Lutheran University
Undergraduate Students
Thaybeth I. Malavé Méndez
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2018)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Dylan Schroeder
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
Jiayu Zhang
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rutgers
Kyle White
(2018–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
Emmanuel F. Rivera Iglesias
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Bhavya Shah
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
George Guanga
(2019–2020)
B.Sc., Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers
Camden De Sanctis
(2021)
B.Sc., Biological Sciences
Rutgers
Sammy Hansali
(2022)
B.Sc., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rutgers
Jonathan Hong
(2019–2021)
B.Sc., Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers
Tian You
(2018–2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry
Jilin University, China
David Dejoz
(2022–2023)
B.Sc., Chemistry
University of Valencia
High School Students
Anton Krotenok
(Summer 2018)
Woodbridge Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences
ACS Project SEED
Muhammad Sharaf
(Summer 2019)
Edison High School
ACS Project SEED
Mei Kim
(Summer 2022)
Edison High School
ACS Project SEED
Aisha Mansoor
(Summer 2019)
Franklin High School
ACS Project SEED
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