Education: B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Hobbies: video games, D&D, reading, sleep
Year Joined: 2016
Maggi Braasch-Turi
Focus: organic synthesis of bioactive molecules
Skills: anhydrous and air-free technique, column chromatography & prep TLC, IR and NMR spectroscopy, MS
Origin: Owatonna, MN
Education: B.S. in Chemistry from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Hobbies: cross stitching, hiking, reading
Year Joined: 2020
Kate Kostenkova
Focus: synthesis, characterization and biological applications of vanadium-based anticancer compounds and lipid electron carriers
Skills: vanadium chemistry, inorganic and organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy (1D and 2D), EPR spectroscopy
Origin: Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukraine / Spokane, WA
Education: B. S. Chemistry (with Biology minor) – Whitworth University (WA)
Hobbies: yoga, running, rock climbing, hiking, and cooking
Year Joined: 2018
Nate Gasparovic
Focus: using NMR techniques to address environmental issues
Skills: NMR spectroscopy, Gaussian09 simulations
Origin: Pittsburgh, PA
Education: B. S. in Chemistry from Mercyhurst University
Hobbies: Movies, music, and museums
Year Joined: 2020
Andrew Bates
Focus: Organic Synthesis
Skills: NMR spectroscopy, prep TLC
Origin: Bloomington, IL
Education: B. S. in Chemistry from Colorado State University
Hobbies: Hiking, basketball, cooking, music
Year Joined: 2020
Skyler Markham
Focus: organic and organometallic chemistry Skills: Pd chemistry, anhydrous technique, NMR Origin: Topeka, KS Education: B. S. in Chemistry from Fort Hays State University (KS) Hobbies: disc golf, finding new parks to take my daughter to Year Joined: 2020
Sarah Sanders
Focus: adding food preservatives to liposomes using thin-film hydration techniques Skills: NMR, Igor Pro Origin: Fort Collins, CO Education: B. S. in Chemistry from Colorado State University Hobbies: working out with friends, reading mystery novels, and painting Year Joined: 2017
John Manganaro
Focus: synthesis, characterization, and biological testing of cytotoxic vanadium (V) catechol complexes, with the intention of discovering new, more effective chemotherapeutics
Skills: organic and inorganic synthesis utilizing air-free, moisture-free Schlenk techniques. Experience with gold (I) catalysis, porphyrin synthesis, total synthesis of natural products, and vanadium chemistry. Characterization of novel compounds using 1H/13C/51V NMR (1D and 2D), mass spec, and UV Vis. Collaboration with biochemists and analytical chemists.
Origin: born in Pensacola, FL, raised in Normal, IL
Education: B.S. in Chemistry at Miami University
Hobbies: rock climbing, lock picking, and reading
Year Joined: 2021 (formerly – Prof. Willams group)
Josef Grundy
Focus: Solution-based inorganic synthesis and organic synthesis of ligands.
