Recent Previous Group Members

Zijie (Oliver) Liu Graduate Student (2025) Thesis: Design, synthesis, and evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 main protease i nhibitors Current Location: TBA Contact: TBA
Tess Lamer Graduate Student (2025) Thesis: Biochemical Tools for NMR Structural Elucidation of Peptides and Investigations of Cofactor-Independent Racemases and Epimerases Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Jörn Piel , ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland Contact: tess.lamer@biol.ethz.ch
Yu-Ting (Riley) Hsiao Graduate Student (2024) Thesis: Synthesis and applications of non-canonical amino acids for lasso peptide Microcin J25 and epimerase inhibitors Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Paul W. Harris, The University of Auckland, New Zealand Contact: yhsi719@uoa.auckland.nz
Bethan Donnelly Postdoctoral Fellow (2023) Current Location: Senior Scientist (Process Development) AstraZeneca Macclesfield, UK Contact: bethan.donnelly1 @astrazeneca.com
Kleinberg Fernandez Graduate Student (2023) Thesis: Investigation of bioactive natural compounds for cardiovascular diseases and daqu fermentation, and the exploration of Beauveria bassiana as a bicontrol agent for the mountain pine beetle epidemic Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Karl Gademann, University of Zürich Department of Chemistry Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zürich Switzerland Contact: kleinberg.fernandez@uzh.ch
Cherry Ibarra- Romero Graduate Student (2023) Thesis: Bacteriocins: Identification, structural elucidation, and mechanisms of resistance Current Location: Instructor at MacEwan University, Edmonton AB Contact: ibarraromeroc @macewan.ca
Cameron Pascoe Graduate Student (2022) Thesis: Diamino Diacid Assisted Macrocyclizaton of Apein and Neopetrosiamide Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Kyle Biegasiewicz, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA Current Location: Researcher Viking Therapeutics Inc San Diego, California 92121 Contact: cpascoe3@asu.edu
Wayne Vuong Graduate Student (2022) Thesis: Chemical Synthesis to Understand and Influence Biological Systems: Spin Labels, Drug Development, and Biosynthetic Investigations Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Bradley Pentelute, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Contact: vuong@mit.edu
Daniel Engelhardt Graduate Student (2022) Thesis: Development and Application of Protected Amino Acids for the Installation of Stable Post-translational Modifications Using Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Lara Malins, Australian National University – Research School of Chemistry, Canberra, AUS Contact: daniel.engelhardt @anu.edu.au
Albert Rosana Graduate Student (2021) Thesis: Functional Genomics of Bacterial and Fungal BioControl Agents for Biotechnological Applications Current Location: Science and Technology Fellow II, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Metro Manila, PH Contact: albertrosana@gmail.com
Isaac Antwi Graduate Student (2021) Thesis: Mechanistic Studies of Antimicrobial Peptides in Lipid Membranes Previous Location: Postdoral Fellow with Dr. Scott Miller, Yale University, CT, USA Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Vividion Therapeutics, San Diego CA Current Location: Senior Scientist at Northern RNA Inc, Calgary Contact: iantwi@northernrna.com
Ritesh Annadate Postdoctoral Fellow (2021) Current Location: Senior Research Executive, Syngenta, Goa, India Contact: riteshannadate@gmail.com
Sorina Chiorean Graduate Student (2021)Thesis: Investigating Structural Properties of Antibacterial Peptides Previous Location: NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Philip E. Dawson at Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA, USA Current Location:Business Development Manager, WuXi TIDES, San Diego, CA Contact: Sorina.Chiorean @wuxiapptec.com
Conrad Fischer Postdoctoral Fellow (2020) Current Location: Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Sciences, Barry University, Miami Shores, Fl Contact: cfischer@barry.edu
Jonathan Beadle Postdoctoral Fellow (2019) Current Location: Senior Scientist, AstraZeneca, London, UK Contact: Jonathan.beadle1 @astrazeneca.com
Randy Sanichar Graduate Student (2018)Thesis: Syntheses of Probes for the Elucidation of Biosynthetic Pathways Previous Location: Senior Research Scientist (R&D), Eurofins CDMO (Alphora Research Inc), Mississauga, ON. Current Location: Associate Director Business Development, WuXi App Tech, La Jolla, CA, USA Contact: sanichar@ualberta.ca
Alex Yeong-Chan Ahn Graduate Student (2018)Thesis: Mechanistic Studies of PLP-Independent Racemases Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Walter Fast, University of Texas, Austin, USA Current Location: Research scientist ILJIN SNT, Seoul, Republic of Korea Contact: backin0405@gmail.com
Alireza Bakhtiary Graduate Student (2018)Thesis: Mechanistic Studies on Antibiotic Peptides: Lantibiotics and Lipopeptides Contact: abakhtia@ualberta.ca
Jeella Acedo Graduate Student (2017)Thesis: Structure Elucidation and Biosynthetic Enzyme Characterization of Bacteriocins Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellow with Dr. Wilfred van Der Donk, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA Current Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Dept, Mount Royal University Calgary, AB, CA Contact: jacedo@mtroyal.ca
Sean Larade Graduate Student (2017)Thesis: Biosynthetic Study of CcsA and a Polyketide Synthase with Homology to Carnitine Acyltransferase Current Location: Pharmacist, Sunset Ridge Pharmacy, Cochrane, AB, CA Contact: larade@ualberta.ca
Kaitlyn Towle Graduate Student (2017)Thesis: Structural Studies of Bacteriocins, Peptide Virulence Factors & Antimetastatic Peptides Previous Location: Laboratory Coordinator & Instructor, Concordia University, Edmonton AB Current Location: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, MacEwan University, Edmonton AB Contact: towlek5@macewan.ca
Christian Foerster Postdoctoral Fellow (2017) Current Location: Product Compliance Officer – Chemical Substances at Lumileds subsidiary of Phillips, Germany Contact: christian.foerster @lumileds.com
Eva Rodriguez Lopez Graduate Student (2017)Thesis: Inhibition Studies of DapL Enzymes Orthologs and Synthesis of Proposed Biosynthetic Intermediates of Tabtoxin and Synthesis of a Hexaketide as a Standard for Lovastatin Studies Current Location: Chemistry Dept, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CA Contact: emrodrig@ualberta.ca
Amy Norquay Graduate Student (2017)Thesis: Investigations of Fungal Highly Reducing Polyketide Synthases: The Biosyntheses of Lovastatin and Hypothemycin Current Location: MD, Internal Medicine Resident, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CA Contact: anorquay@ualberta.ca
Shaun McKinnie Graduate Student (2015)Thesis: Enhancing the Stability of Biologically Active Peptides Apelin and Lactocin S Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Bradley Moore, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California in San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA Current Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Dept, University of California at Santa Cruz Contact: smckinni@ucsc.edu
Stephen Cochrane Graduate Student (2015)Thesis: Structural and Mechanistic Studies on the Antimicrobial Lipopeptide Tridecaptin A1 Previous Location: Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Benjamin G. Davis, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, UK Current Location: Senior Lecturer, School of Chemistry and Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast, UK Contact: s.cochrane @qub.ac.uk
Rachel Cochrane Graduate Student (2015)Thesis: Biochemical investigations of two polyketide synthase subclasses – highly reducing/non-reducing pairs, and polyketide synthase non-ribosomal peptide synthetases Current Location: Development Editor, RSC Publishing, Belfast, UK Contact: ragnew05@gmail.com
Justin Thuss Graduate Student (2015)Thesis: Investigation into lovastatin and cytochalasin E, two polyketides assembled by PKS-NRPS enzymes Previous Location: Patent Agent Nissen Patent Law, Edmonton, AB Current Location: Patent Agent Trainee at Gowling WLG, Ottawa, ON Contact: justinthuss@gmail.com
Brandon Findlay Postdoctoral Fellow (2015) Current Location: Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Concordia University, Montreal, QC Contact: brandon.findlay @concordia.ca
Christopher Lohans Graduate Student (2014) Thesis: Structural Characterization of Bacterial Antimicrobial Peptides Previous Location: CIHR postdoc with Prof. Christopher J. Schofield, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK Current Location: Assistant Professor, Dept Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queens University, Kingston, ON Contact: christopher.lohans @queensu.ca
Keyur Pandya Graduate Student (2013) Thesis: Synthetic studies on novel facially amphiphilic sesquiterpenoid- and 11B-steroid-amino acid conjugates; and transition metal mediated steroid-amino acid derived biometallosurfactants Current Location: Applications Chemist, Ascend Performance Materials, Decatur, AL, USA Contact: kpandya@ualberta.ca
Zhizeng Gao Graduate Student (2013) Thesis: Biosynthetic Studies of Resorcylic Acid Lactones, Hypothemycin, Radicicol, and Dehydrocurvularin Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Withers S., Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia at Vancouver, BC Current Location: Assistant Professor, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, CN Contact: gaozhizeng @mail.sysu.edu.cn
Dave Dietrich Postdoctoral Fellow (2013) Previous Location: University of British Columbia Business School, Vancouver, BC, CA Current Location: Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Vancouver BC Contact: ddietrich01@gmail.com
Jing Li Graduate Student (2013) Thesis: Functional characterization of recombinant hyoscyamine 6-beta-hydroxylase and isolation of antimicrobial compounds Previous Location: Postdoctoral Associate with Dr. Chang-Chun Ling, University of Calgary Current Location: Instructor, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CA Contact: li22@ucalgary.ca
Zedu Huang Graduate Student (2012) Thesis: Chemical Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Unusual Sulfur-Containing Peptides and Efforts Toward Chemical Synthesis of Crocin Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Wilfred A. van der Donk, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA Current Location: Associate Professor of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Contact: huangzedu @fudan.edu.cn
Jennifer Chaytor Postdoctoral Fellow (2012) Current Location: Professor of Chemistry, Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI, USA Contact: jchaytor@svsu.edu
Chenguang Fan Graduate Student (2012) Thesis: Structural and Inhibitory Studies of LL-Diaminopimelate Aminotransferase and Investigation of Methods for Small Peptide Crystallization Previous Position:Senior Research Chemist, Toronto Research Chemicals Current Position: Senior Director Process R&D Hutchinson MediPharma, Shanghai China Contact: chenguang.fan1 @gmail.com
Avena Ross Graduate Student (2011) Thesis: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of the Lantibiotic Peptide Lactocin S and its Analogues Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Bradley Moore, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California in San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA Current Location: Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Queens University, Kingston, ON Contact: Avena.Ross @chem.queensu.ca
Clarissa Sit Graduate Student (2011) Thesis: Structure Elucidation of Thuricin CD, Thurincin H and a Leucocin A Mutant Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Jon Clardy, Dept. of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA Current Location: Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, NS Contact: clarissa.sit @smu.ca
Wei Liu Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-2011) Current Location: Scientist, Johnson Matthey Contact: wadeliu75 @gmail.com
Jesse Li Graduate Student (2011) Thesis: Investigation of Highly-Reducing Polyketide Synthase Enzymes that Produce the Fungal Polyketides Lovastatin, Fumonisin B1, and Hypothemycin Previous Position: Postdoc with Prof. Craig Townsend, Dept. of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Current Location: Research Scientist at Gilead Sciences, Edmonton, AB Contact: jwli@ualberta.ca
Sabesan (Jay) Yoganathan Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Lantibiotic Conjugates Targeted at Gram-negative Bacteria and Studies Towards the Total Synthesis of 2-Aminovinyl-Cysteine Containing Peptides Previous Position: Postdoc with Prof. Scott J. Miller, Dept. of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Current Location: Associate Professor at St. John’s University, New York, NY, USA Contact: sabesh2000@gmail.com
Hongqiang (Patrick) Liu Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of naturally occurring cyclic peptides and their analogues: Lacticin 3147 A2 and Neopetrosiamides Current Location: Research Scientist, Gilead Sciences, Edmonton, AB Contact: hongqiang19 @gmail.com
Leah Martin-Visscher Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Examining the structure, function and mode of action of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria Current Location: Associate Professor of Chemistry, The King’s University College, Edmonton, AB Contact: leah.martin-visscher@kingsu.ca
Miyyapuram Venugopal Rao (Venu) Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Synthesis and Investigation of Viral Cysteine Protease Inhibitors and Biosynthetic Studies on Subtilosin A Current Location: Clinical Scientist, Fischer Bio Services, Rockville, MD Contact: m_venugopal72 @yahoo.com
Christine Otter Administrative Assistant Current Location: Retired – and travelling across North America with her husband.
Matthew Clay Postdoctoral Fellow (2006-2008) Current Location: Chair, Natural and Mathematical Sciences St. Mary’s University College, Calgary, AB Contact: Matthew.Clay @stmu.ab.ca
Viji Moorthie Postdoctoral Fellow (2006-2008) Current Location: Secondary school teacher, UK Contact: vmoorthie @gmail.com
Marc Boudreau Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Nucleoside Dicarboxylates as Mimics of Diphosphate and Disulfide Bond Replacement in Pediocin PA-1 Previous Position: Postdoc with Prof. Shahriar Mobashery, University of Notre Dame Current Position: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, University of New Hampshire Contact: Marc.Boudreau@unh.edu
Darren Derksen Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Bacteriocin Analogs and the Analgesic Peptide Crotalphine Previous Location: AHFMR Postdoc with Prof. Ian Paterson, Chemistry Dept, University of Cambridge, UK Current Location: Professor, Chemistry Dept, University of Calgary Contact: dderksen@ucalgary.ca
Vijay Pattabiraman Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Chemical Synthesis of Lantibiotics and Their Analogues Current Location: Research Associate with Prof. Jeffrey Bode, Chemistry Dept, ETH Zurich Contact: pvijayaraghavan @gmail.com
Jianmin Zhang Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Design, Synthesis and evaluation of SARS 3C-like Protease Inhibitors Previous Location: Apotex PharmaChem, Toronto, ON Current Location: Director of Medicinal Chemistry at Jemicare Pharmaceuticals, Shanghai, China. Contact: jianmin.zhang07 @gmail.com
Marc Boudreau Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Nucleoside Dicarboxylates as Mimics of Diphosphates and Replacement of the Disulfide in Pediocin PA1 Current Location: Postdoc with Prof Hagan Bayley, Chemistry Dept, University of Oxford UK Contact:
Steven Cobb Postdoctoral Fellow (2007) Current Location: Professor, Chemistry Department, University of Durham UK Contact: s.l.cobb @durham.ac.uk
Jamie Cote Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Alcohol Dehydrognase Catalyzed Diels Alder Reactions and Synthetic Studies Toward Putative Intermediates in the Post-PKS Transformations of Dihydromonacolin L Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Michel Rohmer, University of Strasbourg France Current Location: Professor, Seneca College, Toronto, ON Contact: jamie.cote @senecacollege.ca
Mitch Flegel Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Photodecarboxylation of Amino Acids and Synthesis of DAP Analogs to be Tested Against Enzymes Involved in Plant Lysine Biosynthesis Current Location: Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures Contact: mflegel@hotmail.com
Lara Silkin Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Investigations of Bacteriocins from Lactococcus lactic and Bacillus subtilis Current Location: Real Estate Agent, Edmonton, AB Contact: laranissen@gmail.com
Lucas Gursky Postdoctoral Fellow (2006) Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Kevin O’Connor, University College Dublin, Department of Industrial Microbiology, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland Current Location: Clinical Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary Contact: lgursky@ucalgary.ca
Douglas Burr Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Studies of the in vitro Activity of Lovastatin Nonaketide Synthase Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Prof. David Sherman, University of Michigan, Life Sciences Institute, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Current Location: Research Scientist, Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA Contact: dabber8@yahoo.com
Dan Spantulescu Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Synthetic Methods for Diacyl Peroxides and Peresters Derived from Amino Acids and Hydroxy Acids Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Neil Branda, Simon Fraser University, B.C., Canada Current Location: Lab Manager, Glustich Inc, Delta, BC Contact: dspant@yahoo.com
Andrew Scholte Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Chemical Biology Studies of Prenytransferase Enzymes Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Marc Snapper, Boston College USA Current Location: Research scientist at Sanofi (Boston, MA, USA) Contact: andrew.scholte @sanofi.com
Dr. Chris Diaper Research Associate (2005) Previous Location:IP Analyst, TEC, Edmonton, AB Current Location: CEO Canadian Accelerator & Incubator Network (CAIN) Contact: chrisdiaper@yahoo.co.uk
Jake Stymiest Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Synthesis of Peptide Analogs with Replacement of Sulfur by Carbon: Effects on Biological Activity and Stability Previous Location:Senior Manager R&D at Purdue Pharma (Coventry Site, Rhode Island) Deceased
Karen Kawulka Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Investigations of Bacteriocins from Carnobacterium piscicola, Brocothrix campestris and Bacillus subtilis 2004-2006: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC Contact: karen.kawulka @gmail.com
Nathaniel I. Martin Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Pseudoxazolines as Hepatitis A Virus 3C Proteinase Inhibitors and Bacterially Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Previous Location: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands Current Location: Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry, Leiden University, The Netherlands Contact: n.i.martin @biology.leidenuniv.nl Webpage: Nathaniel Martin
Dr. Hanna Pettersson (Wallentin) Postdoctoral Fellow (2004) Previous Location: Research Scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital Current Location: Research Scientist with Dr. Peter Mundel, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Contact: hwallentin @partners.org
Kamaljit Kaur Postdoctoral Fellow (2004) Previous Location: Assistant/Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Current Location: Associate Professor, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California, USA Contact: kkaur@chapman.edu
Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: Inhibitors Acting on Bacterial Cell Walls 2003-2006: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Christopher T. Walsh, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Current Location: Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA Contact: sylviegtsodikova @uky.edu
Mike Pollard Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: Synthetic Studies on Cytochrome P450 Mimics Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Ben L. Feringa, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Previous Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Deceased
John Sorensen Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: The Assembly and Elaboration of Lovastatin 2003-2006: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Christopher J. Schofield, Oxford University, UK Current Location: Professor, Chemistry Department, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Contact: john_sorensen @umanitoba.ca Webpage: John Sorensen
Yeeman Ramtohul Graduate Student (2002) Thesis: Design, Synthesis and Testing of Hepatitis A Virus 3C Proteinase Inhibitors Previous Locations: Research Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Laval, QC, Canada Current Location: Associate Director, Paraza Pharma, Montreal, QC, Canada Contact: ramtohul@hotmail.com

Complete list of former graduate students and group members (pdf)