Group Alumni

Harki group february 2021
Harki Group 2020
group photo
Harki Group 2010

Former Graduate Students

dami ademola-green

Damilola Ademola-Green, M.S.
M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2021. Capstone project: "Towards the Discovery of Covalent APOBEC3G Ligands"

 

tim

Tim Andrews, M.S. 
Associate Scientist, WuXi AppTec, St. Paul, MN
M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2013. Thesis: "Enhancing the Potency and Water Solubility of the Sesquiterpene Lactone Parthenolide" (pdf)
 

Anand Divakaran

Anand Divakaran, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher (Nomura lab), University of California - Berkeley
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2021. Thesis (co-advised with Professor William Pomerantz): "Development and Cellular Evaluation of Selective N-terminal BET Bromodomain Inhibitors"
UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (2020-2021); Trainee, NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant (2017 - 2019)
 

Michael Grillo

Michael Grillo, Ph.D.
Scientist II, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Jnana Therapeutics (Boston, MA)
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2023. Thesis: "Biochemical and Biophysical Assay Development for Screening and Characterization of Small Molecules and Synthesized Analogues Targeting Human Cytosine Deaminases”
 

Katherine Jones

Katherine Jones, Ph.D.
Scientist I, Biochemistry & Biophysics, Monte Rosa Therapeutics (Boston, MA)
Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2022. Thesis: "Development of Biophysical and Mass Spectrometry Assays for APOBEC3 Cytosine Deaminases: Discovery and Validation of Covalent and Non-covalent Ligands”
UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (2022); NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (2019 – 2022)
 

Samantha Kennelly

Samantha Kennelly, Ph.D.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2023. Thesis: "Synthesis and Characterization Studies of Nucleoside Analogues: Chemical Probes with Photochemically Controlled Properties and Phosphoramidate Pronucleotides as Antiviral Agents”
Louise T. Dosdall Fellowship, UMN Graduate School (2022-2023)
 

maggie olson

Maggie Olson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Roosevelt University
Research Associate (Janda lab), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2015. Thesis: "High-throughput Screening and Chemical Synthesis for the Discovery of APOBEC3 DNA Cytosine Deaminase Inhibitors" (pdf)
NIH F31 NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship (2014 - 2015); ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry Predoctoral Fellow (2013 - 2014); Trainee, NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant (2011 - 2013)
 

Kellan Passow

Kellan Passow, Ph.D.
Scientist 1, Oligonucleotide Chemistry, Aligos Therapeutics (South San Francisco)
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2020. Thesis: "Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Nucleoside Analogues: Development of Fluorescent, Bioorthogonal, and Antiviral Tool Compounds" (pdf)
3M Fellow, UMN (2014 - 2018); Trainee, NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant (2015 - 2017)
 

Chris Richards

Christopher (Chris) Richards, Ph.D.
Research Scientist I, Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Postdoctoral Researcher (Carette lab), Stanford University
Ph.D. in Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, 2018. Thesis (co-advised with Professor Reuben Harris): "HIV-1 Counteraction Mechanisms Versus APOBEC3-mediated Restriction" (pdf)
UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (2017 - 2018); Trainee, Institute for Molecular Viology (NIH) Training Program (2015 - 2017)
 

nick

Nicholas (Nick) Struntz, Ph.D.
Investigator, Chemical Biology, GlaxoSmithKline (Collegeville, PA)
Postdoctoral Researcher (Koehler lab), Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2016. Thesis: "Synthesis of Photoresponsive Nucleosides and their Incorporation into Oligonucleotides: Targeting Androgen Receptor and NF-kappaB Transcription Factors" (pdf)
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow (2013 - 2015); Trainee, NIH Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant (2010 - 2012)
 

Jian Tang

Jian Tang, Ph.D.
Scientist, Bristol-Myers Squibb (South San Francisco) 
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2022. Thesis: "Targeting Transcription Factors in Neuroblastoma: Development of Aurora Kinase A/N-Myc Degraders and ID2 Chemical Probes"
UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship (2021 - 2022); DOD PRCRP Horizon Award (2019 - 2021)
 

dan wang

Dan Wang, M.S.
Senior Decision Analyst Architect, Visa
M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2013. Thesis: "Synthesis and Evaluation of Parthenolide Analogues: Chemical Probes and Therapeutic Agents" (pdf)
American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellow (2011-2013)
 

John widen

John Widen, Ph.D.
Scientist, Denali Therapeutics (South San Francisco)
Postdoctoral Researcher (Bogyo lab), Stanford University
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2017. Thesis: "Design and Synthesis of Natural Product-Inspired, Cysteine Reactive Probes toward Inhibition of Transcription Factors and Target Identification Studies" (pdf)
Bighley Graduate Fellowship, UMN College of Pharmacy (2013 - 2014)

Former Postdoctoral Researchers

Connie Anderson

Connie Anderson, Ph.D. (2021-23)
Process Chemistry Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Trainee, UMN (NIH/NCI) Targets of Cancer Training Program (2021 – 2023)
 

dennis brown

Dennis Brown, Ph.D. (2010-11)
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manchester College

 

dana

Dibyendu Dana, Ph.D. (2014-15)
Scientist, KemPharm

 

Ruben Eckermann

Ruben Eckermann, Ph.D. (2016-17)
Synthetic Chemist, CPL Sachse, Berlin

 

tian

Tianshun Hu, Ph.D. (2009-12)
CEO and Co-Founder, Saccharid Biotech, Inc.

 

aaron

Aaron Kempema, Ph.D. (2012-14)
Scientist, Kezar Life Sciences, Inc., South San Francisco, CA

 

fred meece

Fred Meece, Ph.D. (2009-10)
Scientist, Evestra, Inc.

 

brian

Brian White, Ph.D. (2009-10)
Technical Section Manager, H.B. Fuller

Former Undergraduate and Professional Student Researchers

jordan baur

Jordan Baur (2015-21)
Heisig/Gleysteen Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, UMN Department of Chemistry, 2016

 

Stephanie Breunig

Stephanie Breunig (2014-16)
Senior Thesis: "Synthesis of APOBEC3 Inhibitors Based on High-Throughput Screening Hits, and a New Method for the Formation of [1,2,4]-triazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]-oxadiazoles"
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Fall 2015; Heisig/Gleysteen Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, UMN Department of Chemistry, 2014, 2015

Tenley Brown

Tenley Brown (2013-15)
Senior Thesis: "Synthesis and Biochemical Studies of Structurally Simplified Helenalin Analogues"

 

minh bui

Minh Bui (2019)


 

rachel cohen

Rachel Cohen (2019)


 

david cullen

David Cullen (2015-18)


 

Jacob Edwards

Jacob Edwards (2012-14)
Senior Thesis: "Development and Synthesis of Activity-based Probes of Inflammatory Pathways"
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Spring 2014; Heisig/Gleysteen Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, UMN Department of Chemistry, 2013

Torie

Torie Grover (2011-12)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Summer 2011

 

nina hawkins

Nina Hawkins (2021)


 

Bo Hu

Bo Hu (2012-15)
Melendy/Peters Summer Research Fellowship, UMN College of Pharmacy, Summer 2013

 

Monika Ladavicius

Monika Ladavicius (2022-23)
 

 

Ezra

Ezra Menon (2010-13)
 

 

tommy millunchick

Tommy Millunchick (2018-20)
Senior Thesis: “Synthesis of Photochemically Responsive Nucleosides for Incorporation into DNA”
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), UMN Department of Chemistry, 2019; Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Summer 2018, Fall 2019

Jessica Nelson

Jessica Nickelson (2013-14)
 

 

caitlin puro

Caitlin Jokipii Krueger (2015-17)
Senior Thesis: “Synthesis of Photochemically Responsive Nucleosides for Incorporation into DNA”

 

deborah rodriguez

Deborah Rodriguez (2019-21)


 

allie santini

Allie Santini (2021)
 

 

sydney schmidt

Sydney Schmidt (2016-18)
 

 

Eva Skellie

Eva Skellie (2012-14)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Spring 2013

 

hannah skopec

Hannah Skopec (2016-17)
Melendy/Peters Summer Research Fellowship, UMN College of Pharmacy, Summer 2016

 

sam syberg

Sam Syberg (2018-20)
 

 

Tim Tran

Vinh (Tim) Tran (2010)


 

Tram Vo

Tram Vo (2012-13)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Summer 2012

Former Laboratory Technicians

alex ayoub

Alex Ayoub (2016-17)


 

Ella Haefner

Ella Haefner (2020-22)


 

Joe Hexum

Joseph Hexum (2009-15)


 

Henry Schares

Henry Schares (2016-19)
 

 

 

Please send position updates to Professor Harki.