People
Principal Investigator
Dr. Huiwang Ai
Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Chemistry, and Biomedical Engineering
Research Scientists & Associates
Dr. Zhuoran Gong
Research Associate
Lab Alumni
Dr. Yu Pang (2018-2023): PhD in Chemistry (UVA).
Thesis defended 05/2023.
Dr. Ying Xiong (2016-2022): PhD in Biophysics (UVA BIMS).
Thesis defended 08/2022.
Current position: Postdoc in Jordan Meier’s lab at NIH/NCI
Dr. Tianchen Wu (2016-2021): PhD in Biophysics (UVA BIMS).
Thesis defended 12/2021.
Current position: Scientist II at Biogen (the Gene Therapy team).
Dr. Hsien-Wei (Andy) Yeh (2014-2019): Ph.D. in Chemistry (UVA).
Thesis defended 03/2019.
2019-present, Postdoc fellow with Prof. David Baker at the University of Washington-Seattle.
Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Bioengineering position offered by the University of California, Santa Cruz (start postponed to summer 2023 due to NIH K99/R00 awarded in May 2022).
Awards: 2019 American Chemical Society (ACS) BIOL travel Award; 2019 University of Virginia Chemistry Travel Award; 2018 Taiwan Studying Abroad Scholarship; 2016 STUF United Fund Inc. Scholarship; 2016 Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California (CAESAS) Scholarship; 2014 UC Riverside Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship.
Dr. Yichong Fan (2012-2017): Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology (UC Riverside).
Thesis defended 09/2017.
10/2017-12/2018, Postdoc training with Huiwang Ai at UVA.
2019-2021, Research Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Current position: Scientist at AbbVie.
Awards: ACS BIOL Division Travel Award; 2016 UC Riverside Dissertation Year Fellowship; Presentation award in 2016 UC Riverside ETOX symposium; James Merrill and Adeline Wallace Annual Prize; Fukuto and Olaharski Travel Grant; Earle C. Anthony Graduate Student Award; Best Oral Presentation Award at Annual University of California System Chemical Symposium.
Dr. Wei Ren (2012-2016): Ph.D. in Chemistry (UC Riverside).
Current position: AVP Quantitative Researcher at AllianceBernstein.
Awards: Sawyer Award for Analytical Chemistry Graduate Students; 2012 UC Riverside Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship.
Dr. Suzan Youssef (2011-2016): Ph.D. in Chemistry (UC Riverside).
Current position: Instructor at Crafton Hills Community College, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Redlands.
Awards: 2011 UC Riverside Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship.
Dr. Zhijie Chen (2011-2016): Ph.D. in Chemistry (UC Riverside).
2016-2021, Postdoc fellow with Prof. Carlos Bustamante at UC Berkeley.
Current position: Principal Scientist at BridgeBio.
Awards: Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad; Sawyer Award for Analytical Chemistry Graduate Students; James Merrill and Adeline Wallace Annual Prize; 2011 UC Riverside Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship.
Chih-Yu Fang (2016-2018): M.S. in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology (UC Riverside). Last Known Position: Research Specialist at Gilead Sciences.
Dr. Xinyu Li (2018-2021): Current position: Professor at Inner Mongolia University.
Dr. Ratnaka Bynigeri (2020-2021): Current position: Research Associate at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Dr. Shamim Reza (2019-2021): Current position: Senior Scientist at Smiths Detection.
Dr. Minghai Chen (2017-2019): Current position: Associate Professor at Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Science.
Dr. Qi Qian (2016-2017): Current Position: Healthcare Investment Professional at Lake Bleu Capital.
Dr. Ao Ji (2013-2017): Last Known Position: Principal Scientist at WuXi AppTec.
Dr. Yunhua Liu (2013-2014): Current Position: Scientist at Amgen.
Christopher Nguyen: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA) from 2019 to 2023. Graduated from Department of Chemistry, May 2023.
Current Position: MD student at Uniformed Services University
Anjeli Shankar: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA), summer 2021, Summer Diabetes Research Internship.
Nayoung Lee: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA) from 2018 to 2020. Graduated from Department of Chemistry, May 2020.
Current Position: MD student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Malex Adom: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA) from 2019 to 2020.
Ryanne Lenderman: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA) from 2019 to 2020.
Cecilia Rabayda: Undergraduate Researcher (UVA) from 2017 to 2018.
Maria Erika Gonzales: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2015 to 2017.
Merna Makar: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2015 to 2017.
Last Known Position: Graduate Student at Stanford.
Cebrina Nolan: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) in Spring 2016.
Ramsey Batarseh: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2015 to 2016.
Gabriela Mamani: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2015 to 2015.
Last Known Position: Clinical Research Coordinator at UC Irvine Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Jared Yasutake: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2013 to 2015.
Last Known Position: Pharmacy Program at the University of the Pacific.
Uyen Truong: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2012 to 2015.
Philip Lee: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2012 to 2014.
Received 2014 Kuwana-Sawyer Award for Undergraduate Researchers.
Last Known Position: Pharmacy Program at the University of the Pacific.
Quintin Wright: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2011 to 2014.
Last Known Position: Pharmacy Program at UCSF.
Kevin Micko Cheang: Undergraduate Researcher (UC Riverside) from 2011 to 2012.
Kansas Morgan: UC Riverside 2012 Summer Undergraduate RISE Program Researcher.
Liana Amaro-Diaz (summer 2014)
Jolie Carreon (summers 2014, 2015)
Tyler Reagan (summers 2014, 2015)
Michael Wang (summers 2014, 2015, 2016)
Aislin Liu (summer 2016)
Vaibhavi Shah (summer 2016)
Jeanessa Mendoza (summer 2016)
Aleah Stevenson (summer 2018)
Austin Nguyen (summer 2018)
John Wu (summer 2018)
Harrison Wooten, Lab Technician, 2020-2021
Yajing Ma, Visiting Graduate Student, 2017-2018
Liwei Cao, Visiting Scholar, 2016-2017. Current position: Associate Professor at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China