Former Graduate Students
Damilola Ademola-Green, M.S.
M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2021. Capstone project: "Towards the Discovery of Covalent APOBEC3G Ligands"
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, 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, 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, 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)
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, 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)
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)
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, 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, 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, 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, Ph.D. (2021-23)
Process Chemistry Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Trainee, UMN (NIH/NCI) Targets of Cancer Training Program (2021 – 2023)
Dennis Brown, Ph.D. (2010-11)
Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manchester College
Dibyendu Dana, Ph.D. (2014-15)
Scientist, KemPharm
Ruben Eckermann, Ph.D. (2016-17)
Synthetic Chemist, CPL Sachse, Berlin
Tianshun Hu, Ph.D. (2009-12)
CEO and Co-Founder, Saccharid Biotech, Inc.
Aaron Kempema, Ph.D. (2012-14)
Scientist, Kezar Life Sciences, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
Fred Meece, Ph.D. (2009-10)
Scientist, Evestra, Inc.
Brian White, Ph.D. (2009-10)
Technical Section Manager, H.B. Fuller
Former Undergraduate and Professional Student Researchers
Jordan Baur (2015-21)
Heisig/Gleysteen Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, UMN Department of Chemistry, 2016
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 (2013-15)
Senior Thesis: "Synthesis and Biochemical Studies of Structurally Simplified Helenalin Analogues"
Minh Bui (2019)
Rachel Cohen (2019)
David Cullen (2015-18)
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 Grover (2011-12)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Summer 2011
Nina Hawkins (2021)
Bo Hu (2012-15)
Melendy/Peters Summer Research Fellowship, UMN College of Pharmacy, Summer 2013
Ezra Menon (2010-13)
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 Nickelson (2013-14)
Caitlin Jokipii Krueger (2015-17)
Senior Thesis: “Synthesis of Photochemically Responsive Nucleosides for Incorporation into DNA”
Deborah Rodriguez (2019-21)
Allie Santini (2021)
Sydney Schmidt (2016-18)
Eva Skellie (2012-14)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Spring 2013
Hannah Skopec (2016-17)
Melendy/Peters Summer Research Fellowship, UMN College of Pharmacy, Summer 2016
Sam Syberg (2018-20)
Vinh (Tim) Tran (2010)
Tram Vo (2012-13)
Fellowship, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), UMN, Summer 2012
Former Laboratory Technicians
Alex Ayoub (2016-17)
Ella Haefner (2020-22)
Joseph Hexum (2009-15)
Henry Schares (2016-19)
Please send position updates to Professor Harki.