Principal Investigator
Prof. Matthew Dent
- NIH Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, 2019-2024
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2019
- B.S. in Chemistry, James Madison University, 2014
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Joined 2024
Arunkumar Thangarasu, Ph.D.
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, CSIR-NIIST, India, 2022
- Research Interests: Organic Synthesis
- Outside of synthesizing molecules in the lab, Arun likes listening to music, hiking, traveling, and playing cricket. He also thinks he would beat Forhad in a 1v1 in cricket.
Graduate Students
Joined 2024
Md Forhad Hossain
- M.Pharm in Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Dhaka, 2016
- B.Pharm in Pharmaceutical Science, University of Dhaka, 2015
- Research Interests:
- In addition to working with cell cultures in the lab, Forhad enjoys playing cricket, soccer, and volleyball. Has recently been trying to get into basketball because his trainer (Lebron James Bour) is a big person in the field.
Anushka Ishani Gunarathne
- B.Sc. in Chemistry, Honors, Eastern University, Sri Lanka, 2020
- Research Interests:
- Anushka listens to music during her free time when she’s not discovering new CO sensors.
Joined 2024
Joined 2024
Jayani Nissanka
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Honors, University of Colombo, 2022
- Research Interests: My research focuses on harnessing biological processes to develop sensitive, specific, and reliable biosensors for detecting diatomic molecules within living systems. I am particularly motivated by the potential to translate fundamental science into practical applications.
- On her days off, Jayani enjoys staying busy with reading and baking. That’s all she would tell us. Interestingly on another note, she and D. B. Cooper have never been seen in the same room (take that as you will).
Post-Baccalaureate Students
Joined 2024
Neal Bachert
- B.Sc. in Biology, Wayne State University, 2023
- M.A. in Chemistry, Wayne State University, 2025
- Research Interests: Organometallics, Organic Synthesis, and Drug Design
- In his free time, Neal likes to throw discs in a basketball hoop (he calls it a sport; we don’t, but just agree, so he doesn’t tell on us to Dr. Dent). He also likes F1 racing, but since no fast car, legos of car do.
Caitlin Tremucha
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Chemical Biology, Honors, Wayne State University, 2024
- M.A. in Chemistry, Wayne State University, Expected 2025
- Research Interests: Protein Biochemistry, Drug Design
- In her free time, Caitlin likes to unwind by drawing and writing. Also loves games, but they have to be cutesy and demure :3 o_o :p <3
Joined 2024
Undergraduate Students
Joined 2024
Mustafa Alithawi
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Chemical Biology, Honors, Wayne State University, Expected 2026
- Research Interests: Protein Biochemistry and Organic Synthesis
- Apart from his research, Mustafa spends his time being ChemGod2247. Therefore, he likes to cook in his basement, teach, read, and dream about organic reactions. He also has friends (Alithawi, et al. 2004).
Nisa Mahmood
- B.Sc. in Biochemistry & Chemical Biology, Wayne State University, Expected 2025
- Research Interests: Protein Biochemistry
- During her downtime, Nisa enjoys baking, reading, and traveling. Professional car mechanic on the side (will steal your coolant).
Joined 2024