Researchers
Dr. Saumen Chakraborty
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Graduate Students:
Emmanuel Matthew
I joined Dr. Chakraborty lab in Summer 2025 to learn bioinorganic chemistry. My research focuses on artificial metalloenzyme design for CO2 conversion. I aim to understand nature's strategies for selective and efficient catalysis. During my Master's at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, I synthesized inorganic complexes with Schiff base ligands.
Nishanthini Sampath
My work focuses on bioinorganic chemistry, specifically designing artificial metalloenzymes using earth abundant metals such as Cu and Fe. It's a new area for me, and I'm excited to grow in it. I completed my 4 year undergraduate degree in chemistry at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, India. I'm glad to be a part ofthis lab since Fall 2024 and build on my research skills.
Simran Sony
I joined Chakraborty lab in fall 2023 to learn metalloprotein design. I am working on the artificial Cu protein design.
Katy Howie
I am interested in studying protein biochemistry with applications in cancer and development of new treatments. I have a Bachelors in biochemistry from Central Michigan University and a Masters in Pharmaceutical Science from UTHSC. My previous research has been in genetics and cell biology and I'm looking forward to developing further as a researcher.
Undergraduate Students:
Russ Upton
Class of 2024
I am a Biochemistry major. I am working on artificial metalloprotein design for generation metal-oxo species within de novo proteins..
Hannah Randall
Class of 2024
I am a BA Biochemistry major, currently doing my Honors thesis research in the Chakraborty lab. I am learning how to prepare metal-oxo and peroxo species.
Riley Roberts
Class of 2024
I am a BA Biochemistry major doing my thesis work in artificial metalloprotein design. I plan to attend graduate school.
Mallory Williams
Class of 2026
I am majoring in Biochemistry with minors in Biology and Spanish. I am a Pre-Med student and is excited to get hands-on research experience and learn from the graduate students in Dr. Chakraborty's lab.
Summer 2025:
(from left: John, Saumen, Nishanthini, Katy, Emmanuel, Simran, Mike)
Summer 2024:
(front row from left: Katy, Lily, Xia, Simran; back row from left: Divyansh, Saumen, Thomas)
Fall 2022:
(from left: Saumen, Katy, Mallory, Allyson, Sreya, Win, Divyansh, Morgan)
Fall 2019:
(from left: Divyansh, Dhanashree, Brooks, Kaylee, Skyler, Palalvi, Parker, Suchitra, Saumen, Sreya, Zahra, Rose)
Spring 2018:
(top, from left: Dr. Chakraborty, Richard Covington, Skyler Crane; middle- Greyson Keel, Leigh Sumner, Emory Wills, Rachel Wilkinson; bottom- Dhanashree Prasad, Suchitra Mitra, Pallavi Prasad; not pictured: Emily Wang)
Fall 2017:
(top, from left: Dr. Chakraborty, Skyler Crane, Lauren Greif, Pallavi Prasad, Rachel Wilkinson, Leigh Sumner; bottom: Emily Wang, Dhanashree Selvan, Suchitra Mitra)
Spring 2017:
(top, from left: Kirk Laughter, Blake Rueff, Dr. Chakraborty; bottom: Leigh Sumner, Hayley Schrock, Lauren Greif, Suchitra Mitra, Emily Wang)
Fall 2016:
(from left: Hayley Schrock, Leigh Sumner, Dr. Chakraborty, Emily Wang, Kirk Laughter)
Past Members
| Year | Student | Degree | Current Adventures |
| ********Graduate Students and Postdocs******** | |||
| Summer 2024 | Divyansh Prakash | Ph.D. in Chemistry (Spring 2024) | Postdoc at Northwestern University (Rosenzweig lab) |
| Summer 2023 | Sreya Parambath | Ph.D. in Chemistry (Spring 2023) | Scientist at Corden Pharma |
| Spring 2022 | Dhanashree Selvan | Ph.D. in Chemistry (Spring 2022) | Research Scientist at Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University |
| Spring 2022 | Pallavi Prasad | Ph.D. in Chemistry (Spring 2022) | Process Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals |
| Fall 2021 | Suchitra Mitra | Ph.D. in Chemistry (Spring 2022) | Postdoctoral Scholar at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center |
| Fall 2019 | Zahra Nazemi | Postdoc | Scientist at Roche |
| ********Undergraduate Students******** | |||
| Spring 2022 | Aditya Surakanti (Honors Student) | B.A. Biochemistry (Spring 2022) | Amazon |
| Spring 2022 | Walker Pedigo (Honors Student) | B.A. Biochemistry (Spring 2022) | Medical Student at the University of Tennesse School of Dentistry |
| Spring 2022 | Maggie Smith (Honors Student) | B.A. Biochemistry (Spring 2022) | Medical Student at the University of Mississippi Dental School |
| Spring 2021 | Rose Le (Honors Student) | B.A. Biochemistry (Spring 2021) | Medical Student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Spring 2020 | Kaylee Holmes (Honors Student) | B.S. Chemistry (Spring 2020) | Medical Student at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine |
| Spring 2020 | Skyler Crane (Honors Student; Recipient of ACS Biochemistry Course Award) | B.S. Chemistry (Spring 2020) | Mississippi Teacher Corps |
| Spring 2019 | Greyson Keel (Honors Student and Taylor Medalist) | B.S. Chemistry (Spring 2019) | Medical Student at East Carolina Medical School |
| Spring 2019 | Richard Covington (Honors Student) | B.A. Biochemistry (Spring 2019) | Medical Student at University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Spring 2019 | Emory Wills (Honors Student) | B.S. Chemistry (Spring 2019) | |
| Summer 2018 | Liz Huynh (High School Student) | MS School of Mathematics and Science senior | Undergraduate Student at the University of Rochester |
| Summer 2018 | Taina Turner (High School Student) | MS School of Mathematics and Science senior | |
| Summer 2018 | Kiara Lugo | REU Student | |
| Spring 2018 | Leigh Sumner (Honors Student; Recipient of ACS Biochemistry Research Award) | B.S. Chemistry and B.A. Chinese - 2018 | Medical Student at the Univerisity of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Spring 2018 | Rachel Wilkinson | B.A. Biology, Minor in Chemistry - 2018 | M.S. Student at the University of Alabama |
| Fall 2017 | Lauren Greif | B.S. Chemical Engineering (tentative - 2019) | |
| Summer 2017 | Mariana Strawn | MS School of Mathematics and Science senior | |
| Summer 2017 | Gary Nguyen | MS School of Mathematics and Science senior | Undergraduate Student at MIT |
| Summer 2017 | Hayley Schrock | B.A. Psychology - 2018 | Medical Student at the University of Mississippi Medical Center |
| Spring 2017 | Blake Rueff | B.A. Biochemistry - 2018 | |
| Spring 2017 | Kirk Laughter | B.A. Chemistry - 2018 |