Researchers
Dr. Saumen Chakraborty
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Graduate Students:
Simran Sony
I joined Chakraborty lab in fall 2023 to learn metalloprotein design. I am working on the artificial Cu protein design.
Divyansh Prakash
Divyansh joined Chakraborty lab in fall 2019 to study bioinorganic chemistry. He believes in transformative challenges and interested in alternate energy research. During his masters a IIT Gandhinagar, Divyansh has acquired synthetic skills, and learned electrochemitry-related and spectroscopic techniques.
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.
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******** | |||
| 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 |