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Congratulations to Lilia Koelemay and Nick Lauta, who were selected as the '23-'24 recipients of the Carl S. Marvel Memorial Scholarship Endowment!

You can read Lilia's bio here, and you can read Nick's bio here. 

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Congratulations to Lindsey Holmen for being selected as the 2023 David F. O’Brien Graduate Fellow!

My name is Lindsey Holmen, and I am a 4th year graduate student in the Pyun group. I got my bachelor’s degree in chemistry here at the University of Arizona and decided to continue my research involving magneto-optical materials in graduate school.

I am an active member of PAWS where I am the president and enjoy participating in outreach and mentorship. Outside of the lab, I enjoy spending time outdoors and hanging out with my friends and my dog Gus.

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Congratulations to Annika Silverberg and Christopher Marshall, who were selected as the 2023 Howard P. Klein Early Career Excellence in Research awardees!

You can read Annika's bio here, and you can read Christopher's bio here. 

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Congratulations to Oluwaseun Fapohunda, who was selected as the 2023-2024 John Hostetter Awardee!

I received my B.S. in Biochemistry from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo state, Nigeria in 2014, and my MS in Biochemistry from the University of Lagos in 2017. I moved to Tucson in the Fall of 2021 and began research in Dr. Michael Marty’s Lab, where I am currently a third-year student.

My research focuses on understanding the structure, function, and dynamics of viroporins. Viroporins are a family of viral proteins that allow viruses to replicate, assemble, and penetrate host membranes. They are potential antiviral targets. However, they are mainly understudied due to analytical challenges such as small size, hydrophobicity, and polydispersity. In my research, I use native mass spectrometry and lipoprotein nanodiscs to better characterize viroporin oligomerization patterns.

My research will enhance our understanding of virus biology, provide a basis for studying viral infections and help develop new therapies. This scholarship will allow me to attend conferences to share my findings, learn about cutting-edge research, and network with other scientists in my field.

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Congratulations to Katie Martin and Samantha Rokey, who were selected as the 2023-2024 Victor P. Thalacker Graduate Fellows!

Katie Martin

Katie Martin (they/them pronouns) is a 4th year graduate student in the Pyun group studying the design and synthesis of sulfur polymers for a variety of optical applications. Originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, they received their B.S. in biochemistry with a minor in material science from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, in the spring of 2020. Katie enjoys finding new places to eat in Tucson and spending time with their cat, Conan.

Samantha Rokey

I attended Illinois State University and received my BS in Chemistry in May 2020. I am pursuing my PhD in Chemistry at the University of Arizona and am starting my 4th year in Dr. Christopher Hulme’s lab.

Our lab is comprised of a highly interdisciplinary collaborative effort that encompasses structural biology, molecular modeling, in vivo pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, and cancer biology. Specifically, my project focuses on designing and synthesizing small molecule kinase inhibitors that target the Wnt signaling pathway for treatment of colorectal cancer. Outside of research, I enjoy spending time with my dog, Henry, reading, and spending time with my friends. I am also an active member within PAWS and the DEI committee at UofA.