Alumni News

1950s AND ’60s

Richard Finn

BA Chemistry, 1959 I am currently retired. After graduation from UArizona, I attended medical school at Tulane University in New Orleans. I graduated from there in 1963 and went on to post graduate medical training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. After post-graduate training in 1967, I joined the US Army for 2 years, and in 1969 returned to Tucson to practice Medicine. In 1976, we moved to North Carolina where I continued to practice. I retired in 2002. I was married while living in New Orleans. I have two children, both now married. I also have five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Ken Zahn

MS; BS Chemistry, 1960 (James Berry research group) “You can achieve anything,” were teacher statements often heard in the early ‘50s around Tucson High School (THS). I didn’t believe I could achieve much of significance as I looked ahead in Spring of my 1954 senior year there. I was wrong. Life has been very interesting since I entered the U of A in the CBC’s 63rd year of its 129-year history.

Born in 1936, I obviously could not know that I’d be pretty much on my own after arriving by train from Philadelphia. I arrived the first week of June in 1949, for a month’s “vacation” with my aunt and uncle, owners of Rincon Kennels at the dead end of a two-lane dirt road (North Swan Rd, half a block north of old Ft. Lowell Rd). I had just turned thirteen on the 27th of May. This was only four years after the end of WW-II, and few women worked. So, when my dad left home with heavy debts (he loved gambling in New Jersey horse tracks, I later found out) in 1950, and my mother was left in Philadelphia with no job, no car, no money, and two other young children, I ended up working for room and board at the Tucson kennel for the next six years. I was a good student and athlete at THS, and my “ticket” to the UA was a track scholarship. My goal was to teach high school chemistry with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. By juggling heavy course and laboratory loads in both chemistry and education, in addition to ROTC and track practices, I finished a Bachelor of Science in Education and was offered a Regular Army commission in 1959. I received a BS and a Master of Science in Chemistry as well as membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Lambda Upsilon in 1960. I finally saw my mother, sister, and brother again while on the way (through NJ) to an overseas Army assignment in November 1960 - 11 years after my first arrival in Tucson. Yes, one CAN achieve things under difficult circumstances. My favorite classes in chemistry included “Qual Organic” under the always upbeat and helpful Millard G. Seeley (using Shriner, Fuson, and Curtin’s 4th edition of 1956 with “fun” problems in chapter 13), and “P-Chem” under Lathrop E. Roberts – department head at the time (using a pretty-inadequate Prutton and Maron revised edition of 1951, however). Cornelius Steelink and Leslie Forster were relatively “new hires,” and Henry Freiser took over as department head in 1958. James Berry was my 1959-1960 MS Thesis Director, as I worked to synthesize seven-membered heterocyclic-ring azatropones and azatropolones – compounds of interest to Dr. Berry when he worked under N.J. Leonard at lllinois in 1953. The former room-and-board kennel worker at only thirteen had already come a long way, thanks to that mid to late 50’s CBC faculty. More was to come.

After a two-year stint in leading a nuclear-armed anti-aircraft missile unit in Germany, I returned to the Chemical Corps as my basic Army branch in 1962. I applied my chemistry background in helping to develop a non-standard way to convert Army clothing in a field laundry unit to yield chemical-protective outerwear for the ground units in Europe. In 1963, I learned that the Army “Civil Schools Program” permitted certain officers to attend graduate school to fill specific Army slots requiring advanced degrees. I applied and was allowed to attend the University of Illinois starting in September of 1964 to study for two years under N.J. Leonard - James Berry’s Thesis Advisor there in the early 50’s. Fate and luck struck again when my U of A CBC education enabled me to race through essentially all the PhD Program foreign language, prelim, seminar, and course requirements (and two years of research on the stereochemistry of three-membered-ring azirininium salts) there by the end of the 1966 school year. Dr. Leonard then called the Army and suggested they leave me there through June 1967. They did, and in the first week of July 1967, I drove to my next assignment in Utah having completed all PhD coursework, research, dissertation, and oral defense of my work – all in fewer than 3 years.

Applying chemistry in the remainder of my twenty-six plus years in the Army came in many forms: Analyzing intelligence documents on Russian nerve agent capabilities; developing simulants for training units to decontaminate equipment after chemical attack; preparing multi-volume studies on the cost of operating and supporting the military’s nuclear weapons programs and others on safe methods for destruction of waste explosives and propellants; disproving erroneous conclusions about Russian chemical weapon capabilities (which then resulted in changing Army doctrine on protecting soldiers if attacked with Russian nerve agents); developing (in the field) an expedient method of quickly decontaminating jungle terrain covered

with the powdered riot-control agent orthochlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS-2); leading the development of the newer army chemical-protective masks and standoff chemical agent field detectors; teaching general chemistry, a senior research elective, and organic chemistry [Morrison and Boyd 2nd edition of 1966] for 3 years at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; directing the very large forensic science laboratory and school complex in Georgia that handled 110,000 items of evidence annually from crime scenes involving all military services; developing U.S. military-wide guidance on predicting the plutonium-contamination hazards in case of nuclear weapon accidents; and serving as Deputy Commander of the large Army Chemical Research, Development, and Engineering Center at Edgewood, MD. These Army assignments and challenges may not be the typical path for UofA Chemistry graduates, but THEY ALMOST ALL USED MY UOFA CHEMISTRY BACKGROUND (well, except possibly when shot down twice in helicopters while serving in Vietnam in 1968).

I retired from the Army in 1985 at the age of 49. I then worked as a chemistry teacher Utah and in environmental protection and program management at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory through the age of 68, and I finally retired at age 74. I can now agree at age 86 that even a thirteen-year-old dog-kennel worker earning only room and board COULD achieve things and CAN conquer life’s obstacles, thanks to the great grounding received through the UArizona Chemistry Department of the mid-1950’s - the “half-way mark” of its history. You can and will do so as well!

Update: I have just finished serving as President of the Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies. This is a 5,500-member association of 50-plus gem and mineral clubs in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Northern Utah, and Eastern Wyoming. Still having FUN in “applied chemistry” of sorts, it seems. PhD Chemistry, 1962 (Lee B. Jones research group) After 35 years as an Internist and then Rheumatologist, I am happily retired in Mesilla, New Mexico, surrounded by pecans and cotton. My grandson is finishing his PhD in Chemistry, and my granddaughter graduated in geology. Because of Covid, we haven’t traveled much. We are celebrating our 61st anniversary.

Roger Bate

PhD Chemistry, 1962 (Roy Keller research group) I’m currently retired. My spouse, Mary Patricia, passed away in April 2021.

John Kaczynski

MS Chemistry, 1966 (Bates research group) I am retired. I was a Longview Community College chemistry instructor, then dean of instruction.

Paul Sangster PHOTO

MS Biochemistry, 1967 (Jim Hinxon research group) I went to UArizona Med School, class of 1974 (4th class). Biochemistry helped me immensely with my medical school courses! I did a surgical internship in San Diego and a radiology residency at UArizona. Then I took a fabulous job at Northern Arizona Radiology in Flagstaff, Arizona. Great people to work with, interesting patients, and a fascinating practice for 28 years. I retired, with regret, in 2006. Still miss the people.

Joe White PhD Chemistry, 1967 I’m currently retired.

Paul Sangster reunion photo

PhD Chemistry, 1969 (Lee B. Jones research group) I am currently retired after a 40-year career as an orthopedic hip surgeon. I remain on the teaching faculty of the University of Chicago and previously held a professorship at Northwestern University. In retirement, I remain active by teaching residents and fellows and am active in philanthropy, supporting educational and research activities.

1970s

William Deines

PhD Chemistry, 1970 (Robert Bates research group) I retired after 24 years in industrial research and 14 years in academia. Still happily married to Helen (57 years), living in Louisville, Kentucky. I have two daughters, one son, and four grandchildren.

Dale Edmondson

PhD Chemistry, 1970 (Gordon Tollin research group) I retired as a professor of biochemistry at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.

Gail Miller PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1970 Ramaley I’m enjoying retirement, happily married, and having a good time. I have some grandchildren getting ready for higher education.

Mark Lessner BA Chemistry, 1971 I currently work as a physician and pediatrician, working full-time outpatient in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

John Nestor PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1971 (John Schaefer and Henry Hall research group) Working as CEO of EuMederis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Consulting on the phase 2 clinical development of my latest pharmaceutical, pemvidutide; candidate for best in class for obesity and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Expecting this to be my 4th marketed pharmaceutical, with the prior ones marketed by Roche, Merck, and Pfizer.

Larry Schwartz PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1971 (Phillip Keller research group) I run my own consulting business (IP Business-tech Solutions). I am involved with IP analysis to understand companies, technologies, strategies, etc. I am also a subject matter expert on polymer formulations, radiation crosslinking, and the business aspects of sustainability. My wife Leslie (MSRN UA, 1972) works as RN in a family clinic. My oldest daughter, Rachel, is a neuro-radiologist in LA, and my youngest daughter is a manager at a health support clinic in Santa Cruz, California.

James Kudrna

Gail Miller

John Nestor

Jerry Slightom PhD Chemistry, 1972 (Cornelius Steelink research group) I’m retired after teaching at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. A widower with 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

Jerry Slightom PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 1972 I am co-founder of a small biotechnology company, AureoGen Biosciences, Inc. Semi-retired and running a small farm in Illinois. Sorry that I can’t attend the 50-year reunion. I am presently living in Portage, Michigan. I graduated from Carlinville Community High School in Carlinville, Illinois in 1965 and joined the U.S. Navy. My active duty was from May 31, 1965, to September 5, 1968, during which time I received training in special weapons (nuclear weapons) first at Great Lake Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, and then at Sandia Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was stationed in the Navy Unit at Clarksville Base, Fort Campbell, Tennessee, and then stationed aboard the USS Yorktown (which is now a Naval Museum located at Patriots’ Point, Charleston, South Carolina). In 1968, I served in the Weapons Division aboard the USS Yorktown (CVS-10) as the ship was deployed off the coasts of North Korea and then North Vietnam. I heard about Eastern Arizona College (EAC) from a shipmate, Troy Megason, ’66, who highly recommended attending there when he was discharged.

With the help of the GI Bill, I attended EAC for two years and then transferred to UArizona where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1972. After graduating, I returned to Illinois to attend Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, and completed a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1975. I enjoyed research and following graduation I was involved in postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Dr. Oliver Smithies, Department of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. While doing research in Dr. Smithies’ laboratory, I was the first to isolate a structural plant gene (seed storage protein gene, phaseolin) and as a result, was the first to determine that plant genes contain intervening sequences (introns). In addition, I isolated some of the first human genes, including the two closely linked fetal globin genes which lead to the discovery of the fetal globin gene conversion mechanism.

In 1981, I joined one of the first plant biotechnology companies, Agrigenetics Advance Research, Madison, Wisconsin, where I was co-inventor on a patent covering the use of agrobacterium tumefaciens for the transfer of foreign genes into plants. In 1985, I was invited to join The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I spent 18 years doing molecular biology research. While at Upjohn, I established a plant antiviral program that resulted in the development of six commercial products. Most notably, I was a co-developer of a virus resistant papaya cultivar. This invention saved the entire papaya industry in the state of Hawaii, and I was awarded (co-recipient) of the 2002 Alexander von Humboldt Award. In addition, I was a co-director of the University of Michigan DNA Sequencing Core within Dr. Francis Collins NIH Human Genome Center (1990-1994), and I was also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Wayne State University, Medical School, Detroit, Michigan, from 1985 to 2010.

The Upjohn Company was subjected to multiple drug company mergers, and in 2003 Dr. Ake Elhammer and I formed AureoGen Biosciences, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan. AureoGen’s therapeutic focus is on antibiotics, and the company’s mission is to utilize state-of-the-art chemistry and genetic engineering methodologies to generate novel drug candidates from existing cyclic peptide templates. Many successful drugs are natural products or derivatives of natural products. In contrast to synthetic compounds, natural products are not generated by chemical synthesis

but instead isolated from microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The cyclic peptides constitute an important group of natural product compounds. Drugs such as vancomycin, daptomycin, caspofungin, cyclosporin, and bleomycin all belong to this group, and their successes in the clinic demonstrate that cyclic peptides can be antibacterials and antifungals as well as immunosuppressive and even cancer drugs. As of today, my research has resulted in 181 published reviewed manuscripts as well as book chapters and 16 awarded U.S. patents and numerous foreign patents. I am a member of the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association and lifetime member of the USS Yorktown Association.

Daniel Chang PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1974 (Jim Mulvany research group) I retired as a volunteer pastor for local Chinese church.

Lano Balulescu PHOTO

MS Chemistry, 1976 (Phillip Keller research group) Well, I am still working full-time as a contracts manager for the USAF, Department of Defense. Excellent job and they’re still willing to keep me employed! Enjoy hearing from my fellow colleagues from the early 70’s.

1980s

Timothy McManamon PHOTO

BA Chemistry, 1981 I retired from Sanford Health on July 1, 2020, as PhD clinical chemist.

Richard Sportsman PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1982 (George S. Wilson research group) I work in various roles: president and owner of Vinmetrica, a company that makes and offers wine testing equipment, reagents, and services, and owner and winemaker at Little Oaks Winery. My two websites are Vinmetrica.com and LittleOaksWinery.com.

Gregg Achatz PHOTO

BA Chemistry, 1983 I retired on March 1, 2022, after a 38-year career in the chemical industry. Now enjoying travel, gardening, teaching hot yoga, and doing a little consulting. My wife Sharon (Huish) Achatz (BA Journalism ’83, UofA) and I are retired, and are having fun cruising around Florida in our vintage VW camper-appropriately named, Wilma.

Jesse Bonfeld

BS Biochemistry, 1984 I’m currently in a business development role for R&D New Ventures group of SCHOTT North America, focusing on the government, defense, and aerospace markets. Enjoying summers on the east end of Long Island and winters in northern Virginia.

Daniel Chang

Lano Balulescu

Timothy McManamon

Richard Sportsman

Hilary Danehy on a float

Jani Ingram

Michael Pilon

Jose Coria

MS Chemistry, 1985 (Jeanne Pemberton research group) I am a measurement technology manager at Hemlock Semiconductor in Hemlock, Michigan.

Mitch Denning

BS Biochemistry, 1986 (John Little research group) I am a professor in the Department of Cancer Biology at Loyola University Chicago. My lab studies skin cancer. In July 2022, I became the associate dean for graduate education at the Health Sciences Campus at Loyola University Chicago.

Hilary Danehy PHOTO

BA Biochemistry, 1988 I am currently working as director of GxP Training for Gritstone Bio, a dynamic company developing groundbreaking immunotherapies for cancers and infectious diseases.

Gary Sims

PhD Chemistry, 1989 (Bonner Denton research group) Dr. Sims began employment with Photometrics Ltd in Tucson in 1986 as application scientist and left as vice president and general manager of the Advanced Technologies Division. In 1993 Dr. Sims Co-founded and became president and chief technology officer of Spectral Instruments Inc. in Tucson, Arizona. He has since co-founded and acts as president of affiliated companies Rayonix in Evanston Illinois, Direct Electron in San Diego California, and Spectral Instruments Imaging in Tucson, Arizona. All four companies are involved in the design, development, and production of high-accuracy imaging sensors, detector systems, and instruments used in scientific research applications in the fields of physics, chemistry, and the life sciences.

1990s

Jani Ingram PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1990 (Jeanne Pemberton research group) I am a Regents’ Professor of chemistry & biochemistry at Northern Arizona University. I was named Regents’ Professor in the fall of 2021.

Michael Pilon PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 1991 (Bonner Denton research group) After earning a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry with the Denton Research Group in February 1991, Dr. Pilon directed the development and commercialization of the first spectroscopic elemental analysis instrumentation employing solid-state charge transfer devices for Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA). This technology revolutionized the elemental analysis industry, and total sales of the instrumentation and related service and support products now exceeds $2 billion. With that success and the universal acceptance of the technology in the analytical instrumentation market, Dr. Pilon was promoted to general manager of Thermo Fisher Scientific’s CIDTEC Cameras & Imagers (Liverpool, NY) business. Under his leadership, the aging prod-

uct line was transformed to employ state-of-the-art imaging technology and semiconductor processes. During his 17-year tenure, the business grew 600% by supplying critical life-saving imaging technologies to radiation oncology clinics and unique scientific imaging technologies to the analytical instruments industries. In July 2020, Dr. Pilon founded Pillar Imaging (Littleton, MA), which has subsequently acquired Hampshire Controls (Dover, NH), a leading supplier of cryogenic backup systems and temperature, humidity, pressure, and air flow monitors and alarms for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical, and manufacturing industries.

KC Russell

PhD Chemistry, 1992 (Victor Hruby research group) Professor and chair, Northern Kentucky University.

Michael Ruane PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 1994 (Robert Bates research group) I work in multiple roles: Welch chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Lutheran University, director of the First Year Experience Program, joint admissions medical program faculty director, and associate professor of organic chemistry.

Bassem Azizeh

PhD Chemistry, 1996 (Victor Hruby research group) I joined Astellas Gene Therapies (AGT) in March of 2021 as head of quality control overseeing Analytical, Microbiology and Operations. New graduates from chemistry, biochemistry, and microbiology are free to apply for open positions at AGT. Feel free to contact me. AGT is in southern San Francisco.

2000s

Matthew Lynn PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 2000 (Dennis Lichtenberger research group) I was promoted to the rank of full professor in 2021, and I am now serving as the associate dean for curricular affairs at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, one of the colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology.

Danny “DJ” Morales PHOTO

BA Biochemistry, 2000 Currently serving with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Air Force Reserve, and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. I graduated from the U.S. Space Force’s Undergraduate Space Training School in December 2021 and am pursuing a Master’s in Public Health from Northern Arizona University.

Timothy Sikorski PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2001 I am the G39 Chief of Information Operations for the U.S. Army V Corps in Fort Knox, KY. I recently graduated from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with a master’s degree in Strategic Studies. My thesis was recognized as an outstanding thesis by the War College Foundation during the Strategic Land Power Symposium. While at the War College, I was selected for the rank of colonel, and look forward to my promotion ceremony in 2023. My post War College assignment is to Fort Knox, Kentucky, where I am serving as the chief of information operations for V Corps.

Michael Ruane and family

Matthew Lynn

Danny “DJ” Morales

Bahar Erentok (Tan) and family

Tara Archuleta

Michael Ferracane PhD Chemistry, 2003 (Eugene Mash research group) Currently employed at a new job—VP of legal and intellectual property, Ventus Therapeutics.

Bahar Erentok (Tan) PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2006 (Victor Hruby research group) I graduated from University of Arizona in 2006 with a BS degree in Chemistry. I worked in Dr. Victor Hruby’s Drug Design research group which was a wonderful experience. I am always grateful for Dr. Hruby, who is an amazing professor and a wonderful person. Met my future husband at UofA, while he was working on his PhD in EE, who has been a true Wildcat getting all his three degrees from UofA. I moved back to Europe and started my career in the pharma industry, and then obtained an MS degree in Molecular Medicine in Germany. I participated in exciting research areas such as gene therapy and nuclear medicine. We moved back to the US with my family in 2013, this time to Bay Area San Francisco. I currently work as a Regulatory Affairs Manager at Corcept Therapeutics, an innovative company in the discovery and development of cortisol modulators. We are planning a trip to Tucson this fall and quite excited about it!

Tara Archuleta PHOTO

BS Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, 2008 (Erik Henriksen research group) Hello CBC! I grew up in Tucson and received my bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from the University of Arizona. While at UArizona, I gained my first experiences in research and made lifelong connections through the CBC community. I then completed my Ph.D. and postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University, in the field of protein chemistry and X-ray crystallography. Fun fact – my roommate (and former CBCer) from UArizona, Craig Sheedy, decided to join me at Vanderbilt University for his medical school and residency training. The connection we made at UArizona allowed us to continue our friendship and become roommates again in Nashville, TN.

In 2017, I returned to the University of Arizona as a senior research specialist with the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Throughout my many years in research, I instructed students and research technicians in research techniques in the laboratory. After being in research for many years, I knew my calling was to teach science to others. I decided to pursue a Master of Education through the Teach Arizona Program, at UArizona, to better understand how to teach science. For the past three years, I taught chemistry and biotechnology at University High School in Tucson, Arizona. I recently received the Southern Arizona Section of the American Chemical Society High School Teacher Award for 2022. Through my work in the public school system, I have been able to help share my passion for science and scientific research with my students. Over the past few years, many of my students have been able to participate in various internship programs at UArizona (KEYS, Steps 2 STEM, STAR Lab, and SaferFoodCats). This Fall 2022, I am excited to continue and expand my journey as an educator with the CBC teaching faculty.

Michael Ferracane PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2008 (Robin Polt research group) Michael graduated with a BS in BMB and chemistry in 2008, and he conducted research with Dr. Robin Polt while at UArizona. Michael then went on to earn his PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Virginia. He is now a faculty member in the Chemistry Department at University of Redlands, a small liberal arts college in the Los Angeles area. His research uses computational, synthetic, and spectro-

scopic methods to investigate the structure and behavior of peptides and the enzymes that degrade them. The goal of this work is to better understand the properties, activity, and therapeutic potential of these species. Michael was recently promoted to associate professor with tenure, and he was awarded $250 thousand from the National Science Foundation to support ongoing research. While at UArizona, he also met his wife, Victoria Nguyen, BMB in the class of 2007, who earned her PharmD from Midwestern University and is currently working as a pharmacy manager at CVS.

Tori (Lani) Hidalgo PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 2009 (Dennis Lichtenberger research group) I am an Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Arizona in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. I have won of the Distinguished Early Career in Teaching Award, The Innovation in Teaching Award, and University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award. I was also a top-five finalist for the Five Star Faculty award. Most of all, I have two beautiful daughters.

Tori (Lani) Hidalgo

Craig Sheedy PHOTOs

BS Biochemistry; BS Physiology, 2009 (Megan McEvoy research group) Go Cats! My name is Craig Sheedy; I was a student at the UofA from 2004-2009, graduating with majors in Biochemistry and Physiology. My experience at UArizona was amazing! I appreciate and will always be thankful for the outstanding educators and mentors in CBC. I was active in the department and Biochemistry club, while working in research with Dr. Megan McEvoy performing protein crystallization. As a student-athlete, I was a member of the 2008 National Champion Swimming and Diving teams and received the Walter Byers postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA. Since graduation I completed medical school then emergency medicine residency training, both at Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. I have to give a special shout-out to Tara Archuleta, also a CBC alumnus, who recruited me to Vanderbilt and completed her Ph.D. at the same time :). Since finishing residency in 2016, I moved to Arkansas with my partner Drew, where I work for SCP Health and serve as the assistant medical director at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville. I love my career- there is never a dull moment in the emergency department, as we see everything from heart attacks, strokes, and trauma, up to and including a novel virus pandemic. I also work with 3rd and 4th year medical students, trying my best to pass on the outstanding education that I have received, and was voted Preceptor of the Year in 2019. Additional Fun Fact: One of my research pictures was used by the UA on a billboard.

2010s

Craig Sheedy featured on a UA billboard

Craig Sheedy on 2008 National Champion Diving team

Mary-Helen Wanat

BS Biochemistry, 2011 (William Montfort research group) I work as an epidemiologist for the CDC’s Overdose Data to Action grant within the Maricopa County Department of Public Health in Phoenix. I lead a new team conducting non-fatal overdose and hepatitis C virus investigations to better characterize the opioid overdose and hepatitis C syndemic as well as to connect people to care.

Elyssia Gallagher PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 2013 (Craig Aspinwall research group); BS Chemistry, BS MCB, 2007 Dr. Elyssia S. Gallagher, CBC Alumna, Class of 2007 and 2013. has been named the 2022 recipient of the Ron Hites award given by the American Society of Mass Spectrometry. Dr. Gallagher was recently promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Baylor University. She earned a BS in Chemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona in 2007,

Elyssia Gallagher

Daniel Dokuchitz

Amanda Roberts

Spencer Carey graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. In 2013, she received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Arizona under the direction of Dr. Craig Aspinwall. She was then awarded a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the Biomolecular Measurement Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (2013–2015, advisor: Dr. Jeffrey Hudgens). Since starting at Baylor she has received an NSF CAREER award and is also funded by The Welch Foundation. The long-term goal of the Gallagher group is to advance the field of glycobiology through the development of novel analytical approaches that define glycan structures and their roles in diverse cellular processes. Dr. Gallagher’s current research efforts focus on the development and application of novel methods to characterize glycans, glycoproteins, and their biologically relevant interactions.

Daniel Dokuchitz PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2013 (Andrei Sanov research group) I am currently a lab manager at Linde Electronic Gases & Specialty Products in Durham, North Carolina. I recently accepted a promotion to lab manager at Linde. I was previously a product development chemist for four years with the company.

Amanda Roberts PHOTO

MA Chemistry, 2013 I am an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) and Co-PI of Girls in Engineering Mathematics and Science (GEMS) at UIW ’s Autonomous Vehicle Systems (AVS) Research Lab. I earned my PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth and earned a Venture Finance Certification from UC Berkeley School of Law VC University Program.

Spencer Carey PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2013 (Stephen Kukolich research group) Hello everyone! My name is Spencer Carey, and I graduated with a BS in Chemistry and a mathematics minor in 2013. I am most grateful to UArizona, especially its research opportunities for undergraduates. I spent three years working with Dr. Stephen Kukolich using microwave spectroscopy to study molecular structures. This work opened many doors for me and prepared me well for graduate school.

I went on to earn my PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Washington. My dissertation focused on the thermodynamics of adsorbates on catalyst surfaces, which allowed us to understand how catalysts speed up reactions and why some work better than others. In 2018, I graduated from the University of Washington, got married, and moved to Germany (all in three months)! I worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Fritz Haber Institute in Berlin for three years, where I spent more time analyzing catalysts. I spent much time at the Institute’s synchrotron facility using x-rays to probe surface reactions and catalyst chemical structures.

While in Germany, my wife and I traveled all over Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Today, I work as an analytical research scientist for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company in Houston. Much of my time is spent assisting our catalyst research groups and analyzing various mystery samples from our production facilities that are causing problems, but I am particularly excited about our research in chemical recycling. The processes that we are working to perfect allow us to convert waste plastic polymers back into its building blocks, which are then used to create new chemicals or circular polymers.

BS Chemistry, 2014 After completing an enlistment with the U.S. Coast Guard in the spring of 2012, I started my undergraduate degree in chemistry at the UA in the fall of 2012 and graduated in winter 2014. My son was born in 2015; and that same year, I began working for the Food and Drug Administration as an Investigator in the San Francisco Bay area. In addition to staying in touch with some of my amazing UA graduating alumni friends, my family and I moved to Washington state in 2016; and I obtained a Masters of Public Health from the University of Washington in 2018. I had a little girl in 2019, and continue to work for the FDA, currently as a compliance officer in the Seattle area. Although I no longer do direct research, I continue to use the knowledge I gained while in school on a day-to-day basis, specifically regarding instrumentation and analytical methods. I often think back on my time at the UA, and words cannot express how much I appreciate all the help and support I received from the faculty and staff within the school, and specifically within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, as well as the Veterans Affairs Office and Medical Center!

Cheryl Cheah PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2015 (Michael Daines research group) Hi everyone! I’m a current pediatrics resident at UCSF. As 2022 comes to a close, I look back on the year with much fondness and gratitude. This was the year that brought me out of my comfort zone, but one that led to the most growth. Residency has been a roller coaster ride with many physical and emotional ups and downs. I treasure the moments of introducing new parents to their babies, watching reels in the dark with my spunky teenage patients, but also carry with me the rare, somber moments that occur when limitations of medicine are reached. I moved to San Francisco 2.5 years ago at the height of the COVID pandemic with few expectations and connections. Now, I have a community that inspires and lifts me up daily, and it sure takes a village! 2022 has been a memorable one, but it has primed 2023 to be pretty incredible! Looking ahead, I’m thrilled to be staying at UCSF for a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship, and continue working to reduce morbidity and mortality in neonates who suffer hypoxic-ischemic brain injuries. 2023 will also be the year that I’ll be marrying my best friend Shane, who has been in the front row unconditionally laughing and screaming with me through it all!

Shaina Hasan PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2015 (Frans Tax research group) After graduating from U of A, I worked as a postbaccalaureate intern at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, studying the mechanism of transcription termination in S pombe yeast. From there, I attended medical school at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona — as part of the inaugural class — where I became involved in more translational research related to optimizing diagnosis of pediatric eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. I am currently an internal medicine resident at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, with the goal of applying to a fellowship in gastroenterology.

Kevin Jung PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2015 (Eli Chapman research group) I graduated in 2015 with a BS in Biochemistry and moved out to Chicago afterwards. Have worked in pharmaceutical manufacturing, clinical testing, technical writing, and covid testing. Currently working in quality assurance for a medical device company.

Amy Glynn with husband Pete, son Addison (7) and daughter Ophelia (2)

Cheryl Cheah with fiance Shane

Shaina Hasan

Kevin Jung

Taylor Szyszka

Christopher Chan and fiancée

Denisse Divine at the Miramare Castle in Trieste, Italy BS Biochemistry, 2015 (Matthew Cordes research group) I was a biochemistry major who graduated in May of 2015. I absolutely loved my experience at the U of A! As an out of state student, I fell in love with Tucson and life in the desert, and I thrived in the tight-knit community of CBC. I was heavily involved in the Chemistry Club and served as president my senior year. It was this experience that most enriched my university years; I made incredible friends, was surrounded by passionate people, and through these relationships I became involved in undergraduate research which paved the way for my career now. I spent three years in the protein evolution lab of A/Prof. Matthew Cordes working closely with Dr. Vlad Kumirov, where I discovered my passion for protein NMR and structural biology. After graduation, I was awarded an international student scholarship for my PhD studies under Prof. Joel Mackay at The University of Sydney in Australia. During my PhD, I used NMR to elucidate the structure of a transcription factor protein domain binding to a small peptide and did preliminary drug discovery work to develop a small molecule inhibitor to block this interaction, which could potentially be of therapeutic value.

Inspired by my time in the Chemistry Club, I also became an avid science communicator while working closely with school students and the public, and even appeared in a few seasons of a children’s science TV show called “Get Clever!” After my PhD, I spent a few years pursuing science communication at the high school and university level before starting my current role as a postdoctoral research associate at The University of Sydney. I now work in the lab of Dr. Yu Heng Lau, where I use my protein knowledge to engineer protein nanocompartments to enhance the activity of important enzymes to improve the way photosynthetic organisms convert CO2 into sugar.

Very excitingly, I have just been selected as one of Science and Technology Australia’s Superstars of STEM! Over the next two years I will receive advanced media training to raise my public profile as a female scientist and speak about my research in the media as well as share my story with school students to inspire a new generation of young scientists. I am very proud of what I have accomplished so far, and I know that my time in CBC gave me the skills and confidence to move to a new country and embark on an academic career. I couldn’t imagine a better place to start my scientific training!

Christopher Chan PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB; BS Neuroscience & Cognitive Science, 2016 (Victor Hruby research group) After I graduated in 2016, I joined Bachem Americas, Inc., as a production chemist in Torrance, CA, applying my peptide synthesis knowledge from Dr. Hruby’s lab. Realizing I missed academic research, in 2019 I joined the Department of Cardiology at UCLA as interim lab manager, studying cardiac arrhythmias in the porcine model. After three years in cardiology, I moved on to the Department of Neurosurgery at UCLA to facilitate clinical research in human memory and epilepsy. Lastly, I proposed to my now-fiancée at Winterhaven and am happily engaged!

Denisse Divine PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2016 (Monica Schmidt research group) I just recently moved to Carlsbad, California in September of 2022 after being promoted to supervisor for GenMark Diagnostics (a member of Roche Group). As a supervisor, I am supervising/managing around 40 people in the ePlex Manufacturing Department. The ePlex system is a wonderful device that helps when it comes to diagnosing various kinds of illnesses such as respiratory, fungal, bacterial, gastrointestinal, etc. I’ve been learning a lot of things both on the technical aspect and leadership aspect of our business. It has been a wonderful transition so far. The people I work with are knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and really love what they do. During my

Courtney Moore

BS Biochemistry, 2016 (Ronald Lynch research group) I graduated in December with a PhD in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Now, I have moved to the Bay Area and am working as a product development scientist for The Clorox Company.

Nathan Napierski PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2016 (Samantha Harris research group) Nathan enjoys bringing light and energy into the room when he arrives. This was evident in his appearance on the famous show The Price is Right where he did back flips and joked with Drew Carey as he won a motorcycle, washer and dryer, and a TV! Nathan is an alumni of CBC and graduated from the University of Arizona in 2016 with a B.S. in both biochemistry and molecular cellular biology. Since graduation, he’s bartended, conducted cardiovascular disease research, published first author articles in high impact journals, and taught chemistry for our famous Dr. Tori Hidalgo as a TA. A few years after graduation, Nathan moved to sunny Southern California and entered the medical device field as an engineer. He works at Masimo, a noninvasive medical device company and works on life saving equipment such as pulse oximeters and opioid withdrawal reducers. In addition to engineering, Nathan’s passion for fitness and wanting to help others guided him to become a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. With that, he trains high-end cliental at a well-known luxurious gym called Equinox. Nathan recently came back to the University of Arizona for 2022 Homecoming to cheer on the field as he once did back in college for our Wildcats! Over the next few years, Nathan wants to find a partner, have kids, buy a home, and one day hopes to bring his family to see the University of Arizona too!

Kassidy Tompkins

BS Biochemistry, 2016 (Nancy Horton research group) I am a scientist at Roche Tissue Diagnostics. My second son was born in March of 2021. Graduated with my PhD in January of 2021.

Taya Adams-Mathis PHOTOs

BS Chemistry, 2017 It has been 5 years since graduation, and every time Olivia would send me the request to add my story in the alumni magazine, I would hesitate. Thinking that maybe next year when I am doing some amazing things at work I will send in a story, or maybe when I get a promotion I will send in my story. I always was worried that I wasn’t doing enough, but this year I decided that we are all on our own paths and journeys, and mine is just as important as many of my other classmates.

Right after graduation I started working as a lab technician at Insys Therapeutics, and after a year of being a lab technician, I was promoted to Analytical Scientist, where I performed routine testing on our drug products. After a year I moved on and started a contract position at Celgene where I input master data so that all the required routine testing that was being performed by the laboratories could have an electronic repository instead of paper documentation. Since this role was a contracted position, I decided that I would like to work full time for Celgene, and I was fortunate enough to get hired on as a Specialist in Quality Assurance. This role took me out of the lab and instead let me see a different side of the pharmaceutical industry. I began reviewing, approving, and ensuring that all the data from the labs were compliant with all regulatory agencies. I was in this role for 3 years, and I felt like I got to learn so

Nathan Napierski

Taya Adams-Mathis and husband

Kyle Lopez

Isen Calderon much! I recently got the opportunity to begin working as a manager in the Business Operations department for Bristol Myers Squibb (Celgene was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2019), and in the short month that I have had the chance to work in Business Operations, I feel like I have continued to evolve and grow my skills in the pharmaceutical industry. In business operations, I have already had the opportunity to create a business continuity plan, which evaluates the risks to the business if we are not able to produce product and think of ways we can strategically ensure that all our markets are getting the medication that is needed for our patients.

I honestly don’t know where I am going, but I want to continue to grow and develop my skills so I can continue doing things that I love and work in the pharmaceutical industry, where I know the medications that we are producing can help save lives.

Kyle Lopez PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2017 (William Montfort research group) After my BS in Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona (class of 2017), I continued my work in Dr. Bill Montfort’s lab at UArizona over the summer following my senior year. This work entailed using luminescent probes to measure intramolecular protein distances and changes upon ligand binding. Afterwards, I began work on my PhD in Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). I did my dissertation work in Dr. Daniel Southworth’s lab where I worked on cryoelectron microscopy (cryoEM) studies of bacterial ATPase-protease complexes. During graduate school, I determined the first high resolution structures of the E. coli ClpAP system and determined the activation mechanism of a potential antibiotic targeting this system in M. tuberculosis. I received my PhD in June of 2022 and began a postdoctoral position at Arizona State University (ASU) in Dr. Wade Van Horn’s group, where I use cryoEM and other biophysical approaches to determine the molecular mechanisms of heat sensation in TRP family proteins. I recently deferred an ASU presidential fellow position for a year, which is a program that allows for a more independent postdoctoral career with the intention of providing a tenure track faculty position after 2-4 years at ASU. I’m excited at the opportunity to run my own research group and keep an eye out for the Lopez lab coming sometime between 2025-2027. I appreciate the opportunities provided by the Chemistry and Biochemistry department during my time at the U of A that contributed to my success in science.

Isen Calderon PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 2018 (Craig Aspinwall research group) I just exited my first industry job at Rubius Therapeutics, worked as a Formulations and Drug Product Engineer for a little over a year. I will be starting a new position at BlueRock Therapeutics in Boston MA as a Process Development Scientist focusing on Drug Product and Stability. In my spare time I love to play volleyball and bake.

Anthony Raviele

BS Biochemistry, 2018 (Aikseng Ooi research group) After graduating with a B.S. in Biochemistry, I completed a degree in Pharmacy (PharmD) also at the U of A. Shortly after this, I pursued post-doctorate fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). Upon finishing that program, I took a position with Bristol-Myers Squibb as a Research Investigator conducting pharmacokinetic and pharmacometric analyses in human clinical trials. This has taken me step by step from the West Coast all the way over to the East Coast. Now residing in the NYC metropolitan area, I’ve been enjoying the city life and experiencing true seasons while also making the most of time off whenever available to travel.

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2018 (Michael Marty research group) After leaving the UArizona, I joined Neil King’s lab at the University of Washington’s Institute of Protein Design as a graduate student, and now as a PhD candidate. My lab works on developing protein nanoparticle vaccines to target diseases like influenza, RSV, and the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV2. My main goal in the lab is to design hybrid two-component nanoparticles that interface proteins as well as lipids as a new platform for targeted vaccine or drug delivery. I accomplish this by computationally designing proteins using Rosetta and AlphaFold software and docking those proteins into a specific nanocage geometry in silico. After filtering thousands of designs, some can be ordered and validated using techniques like native-Mass spec, negative stain, and cryo-electron microscopy. I’ve been very fortunate to have mentors like Michael Marty (UA) and Neil King (UW), who have always fostered my curiosity for science and who aren’t afraid to try crazy ideas!

Metin Karayilan PHOTO

PhD Chemistry, 2019 (Jeffrey Pyun research group) I recently started as an assistant professor of chemistry at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. I am looking forward to seeing the applications from the University of Arizona for CWRU graduate programs, especially chemistry and macromolecular science and engineering. I was also recently selected as an ACS Lasting Encounters between Aspiring and Distinguished Scientists (LEADS) fellow and attended the ACS LEADS Conference in DC. I met highly esteemed chemists, scientists, professionals, future leaders, and Nobel laureates.

Emma Harrell

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2019 (Jacob Schwartz research group) After graduating from the UA with my Bachelor’s in Biochemistry/MCB in 2019, I successfully completed a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences at UTSW Medical Center in Dallas, TX. I’m now working as a research professional in the Lab for Fetal and Regenerative Biology (LFRB) in the Department of Surgery at the UA. I plan to return to school to complete a PhD in biophysics or structural biology.

Hunter Pitts

BS Chemistry, 2019 I am working for Sherwin-Williams doing chemistry R&D. I got my Master’s Degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in December of 2021.

Heber Lara PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2019 (William Montfort research group) Heber is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Washington in the Department of Immunology. He is interested in understanding how our bodies respond to pathogens and subsequently recover from infections. Specifically, Heber is examining how the cellular composition of the small intestine changes during a parasitic worm infection, and how that remodeling influences tissue regeneration. As an underrepresented minority (URM) scientist, Heber is involved in outreach programs that encourage other URM students to pursue STEM careers. He has mentored prospective graduate students and has acted as a graphic designer for URM focused initiatives like Cientifico Latino. After graduating, Heber hopes to join a biotechnology group and continue outreach to URM students.

Dane Zambrano

Metin Karayilan with Dr. David MacMillan, a 2021 Chemistry Nobel laureate

Heber Lara

Nathan Rundhaug

Satya Acharya BS Chemistry; BS Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2019; MS Chemistry, 2020 (Jeanne Pemberton research group) Tyler Roberts has spent the last year in central Japan teaching English. He participated in a Ministry of Culture sponsored program called Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme or JET for short. The program’s aim is to promote both English education and internationalization by providing both Japanese students and participants from English speaking countries the opportunity to learn from other cultures directly. Tyler taught Japanese students from the ages of 12-18 in junior and senior high school and took advantage of his science background to teach students presentation and research skills. He also conducted never-before-done science lessons exclusively in English. While there, he had the opportunity to visit 10 of the 47 prefectures and saw incredible cultural sights and locations of immense natural beauty. “I skied Japow in Nagano, saw the stunning historic sites in Kyoto, and explored the old-growth cedar forests of faraway Yakushima off the coast of Southern Japan, to name a few.” Tyler said that the experience was the most unique and eye-opening of his life, and that he will carry the lessons learned about culture, perspective, and resilience with him always. He is still excited about his return to CBC this fall as a full-time organic lab TA, and hopes to continually improve his ability to educate and engage students. “I’ve been looking forward to teaching chemistry again as well as seeing old friends and new and catching up! Thank you for having me, I am grateful.”

Nathan Rundhaug PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2019 (Oliver Monti research group) I worked as a chemist and decided to go back to school to obtain my JD at the UArizona as a TechLaw fellow. I am currently working in health and compliance law and am excited to see where I go next! I’m doing great at my internship, and we’ll see if it continues past my graduation next May. I’m also got engaged this August!

Satya Acharya PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2020 (Steven Goldman research group) After graduating from the University of Arizona in 2020, I attended the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health where I earned a Master of Public Health in Health Policy. Currently, I live in Manhattan and work in healthcare as a consultant at CBIZ Optumas. Some of my favorite things to do in New York are running in Central Park and getting dinner at Malatesta Trattoria, which has the best pasta in the city!

Ahmad Luqman Afiq Abdullah PHOTO

BS Chemistry, 2020 I’m currently working as a science officer at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Malaysia. I was awarded Best Male Participant for the Program Transformasi Minda, PTM (Translation: Mind Transformation Program), a program that all new government staff are required to attend. It’s like an orientation or an introductory program which is held for 5 days, from 9 am to 4:30 pm. During the orientation, new staff listen to many speakers from UniMAP who give presentations that introduce the university, the law, the government, ethics, etc. New staff also participate in group discussions which involve presentations. On the fifth day, there’s an exam to test our understanding of the program.

Jessy Forelli PHOTO

BA Biochemistry; BS MCB; BA Spanish, 2020 (Ronald Lynch research group) I was raised in New Jersey, but once I stepped onto the UA campus, I knew I was home. My family had visited the area several times since my great grandparents were snowbirds. I went back during high school to visit for a tour which reminded me how

After adjusting to college life, I wanted to take advantage of all the university had to offer. With so many campus events happening, I wanted to join more things than I could count. I was a resident assistant in the Honors College, competitive cheerleader, student researcher at OSIRIS-Rex, Arizona ambassador, after-school STEM club facilitator, and a member of several other on-campus clubs. I also added majors in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Spanish to complement my CBC courses.

I became deeply passionate about translating my studies into community outreach. Wanting to explore this more professionally, I began as an AmeriCorps volunteer with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Tucson. I served as a case assistant in the Survivors of Torture program, where I supported refugees and asylum-seekers in the area to reach self-sufficiency. My research seminars prepared me well for this position, as a core aspect of those courses was digesting complex concepts into key points understood by the public. I often did this for clients after they received jargony responses from doctors and lawyers.

After graduating summa cum laude in May 2020, I began working full-time with the IRC. I dedicated much of my time ensuring clients were safe and healthy during the COVID pandemic, and now I work in IRC HQ assisting our nationwide Unaccompanied Children programming. Personally, I am preparing for my wedding in July 2023. I will begin a Master’s in International Education in the fall. My time with UA and CBC inspired me to take this next step. Bear down, go cats, and go CBC!

Steven Fried PHOTO

BS Biochemistry; BS Chemistry; BS Math, 2020 (Michael Brown research group) I just entered my third year in a chemistry PhD program at Stanford University, where my concentration is in biophysical chemistry. I am working in Professor Steven Boxer’s lab, where I am researching the electrostatic basis of enzyme catalysis, and ways to experimentally measure electric fields in enzyme active sites and other heterogeneous environments. I am grateful to be enjoying the people, climate, scenery, and opportunities to explore Northern California while I am here.

Jibriel Noun PHOTO

BA Chemistry; BA Biochemistry; BS MCB, 2020 (Ronald Heimark research group) The past year I have received the Cancer Research Training Award and have been working as a clinical research assistant at the National Cancer Institute in the Urologic Oncology Branch under Dr. Peter Pinto, head of the Prostate Cancer Section. I started this Fall at the University of Virginia School of Medicine to be a part of the class of 2026! I wouldn’t have been able to get this far without my incredible experiences at the University of Arizona.

Tommy Szeto PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2020 (Jun Wang research group) After graduating from the University of Arizona Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry in 2020, I had the opportunity to apply my skills and knowledge by conducting research in the field of biochemistry, pharmacology, and proteomic virology. Starting in May of 2020, I was a laboratory technician with the Jun Wang Lab at the University of Arizona Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, working alongside other scientists to better study various diseases such as influenza, enteroviruses, and COVID-19. Our efforts were aimed at developing antivirals that targeted these emerging viruses by utilizing techniques of structure-based drug design, high-throughput screening, and peptide chemistry leading to X-ray crystallographic

Jessy Forelli

Steven Fried

Jibriel Noun

Tommy Szeto

Yasir Alnakhli

Armando Cardenas

Christina Huynh I have since moved into the clinical setting as a phlebotomist. I work alongside a dedicated and caring community of medical professionals to provide healthcare utilizing my skills in the field of biochemistry. As a phlebotomist, I am tasked to collect blood samples from patients to perform biochemical analysis. By testing these blood samples, the healthcare team may examine the patient’s blood for toxicology- analysis of drugs and poisons, immunochemistry to detect and measure hormonal and enzymatic substances, and serology to identify microorganisms for antibiotic therapy. One day, I hope to return to the University of Arizona to attend medical school in order to become a physician.

Yasir Alnakhli PHOTO

BA Biochemistry; BS Chemistry, 2021 I work as a cleanroom operation technician at the Nanofabrication Core Lab in King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) where we provide expertise in the fabrication and characterization of the nano and micro-scale devices to the research community of KAUST and our other partners from academics and industrial organizations. My role here extends across three main areas that are facility operation, processes development, and providing training for end-users.

Armando Cardenas PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2021 (Michael Hammer research group) After graduation, I moved out to St. Louis, Missouri, to work at Pfizer. I currently work within the Biotherapeutics Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Research and Development group. Our group is responsible for developing drug product formulations and processes for our large molecule projects, including vaccines and gene therapies. Some of my current research within the group is focused on lyophilization of drug products and the research and development of mRNA lipid nanoparticles. Outside of work, I enjoy playing sports and hanging out with friends. I also recently got a dog (pictured), her name is Nala, and she loves to get in trouble! Although I do miss all my friends and family in Tucson, I am enjoying living in a new city and meeting new people and very grateful to have this opportunity to work with such a great team at Pfizer.

Christina Huynh PHOTO

BA Biochemistry; BS Nutritional Sciences, 2021 (Ashley Linares-Gaffer research group) I am currently pursuing my accelerated master’s in Clinical Nutrition at the University of the Pacific. This program emphasizes comprehensive clinical nutrition care and upon graduation, I will become a registered dietitian.

Monica Ruffalo PHOTO

BS Biochemistry, 2021 (Jacob Schwartz research group) My name is Monica Ruffalo, and I graduated cum laude with a BS in Biochemistry in 2021. I am currently a graduate student in the College of Education and will graduate in 2023 with a MA in Special Education and the coursework necessary to get my Board Certification in Behavioral Analysis (BCBA). I currently work with a company providing in-home pediatric behavioral health services to get my supervision hours needed as well. Previously, I was an intern with Banner Pediatric Health. I plan on working as a BCBA after graduation, with a long-term goal of creating independent living homes for adults with special needs that include businesses (such as car washes and bakeries) that the adults can work at if they choose.