The Group

Prof. Ryan Murelli

Principal Investigator
Hometown: Torrington, CT
Alma Mater: Hamilton College, Boston College (PhD)
Hobbies: Karoake, Playing with his Daughters
Theme Music: 'Little Fighter' by White Lion (link)

John-Charles Andrew Thomas Baucom

 

CUNY Graduate Center PhD Candidate      
Co-mentored by Emilio Gallicchio (BC)
Hometown: Bed-Stuy Brooklyn
Alma Mater: Carnegie Mellon University  
Hobbies: Games, Gardening, Chemistry, Thinking
Theme Music: 'We Want Freedom' by Dead Prez (link)

Orugbani Eli

 

CUNY Graduate Center PhD Candidate      
Hometown: Idama, Nigeria
Alma Mater:   Bells University; University of Leeds (MS)
Hobbies: Cooking, MotoGP, Thinking
Theme Music: 'As it Was' by Harry Styles (link)

Beyza Yilmaz

 

CUNY Graduate Center PhD Candidate      
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
Alma Mater:  Drew University
Hobbies: Overthinking, Embroidery, Learning Random Fun Facts
Theme Music: 'The Great Gig in the Sky' by Pink Floyd (link)

Anastasiya Lyubimova

 

CUNY Graduate Center PhD Candidate      
Hometown: Yalta, Crimea
Alma Mater:  Brooklyn College
Hobbies: Drawing, Traveling, Scrolling Twitter
Theme Music: 'Step Above Surface' by Infinate Scale (link)

Stephen Pagay

 

CUNY Graduate Center PhD Student      
Hometown: Lligan, Phillipines
Alma Mater:  Hunter College
Hobbies: Reading, Video Games, Home Renovation
Theme Music: 'Otonoke' by Creepy Nuts (link)

Tatyana Popkova

 

Undergraduate  Research Assistant      
Hometown: Temirtau, Kazakhstan
Hobbies: Creative Writing, Rollerskating, Concert-Going
Theme Music: 'Black Sheep' by Metric (link)

Endrid Llashanaku

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant      
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Hobbies:  Gaming, Taekwondoing, Sporting 
Theme Music'Find the Flame' by Masayoshi Soken: (link)

Ryan Chen

 

Undergraduate Research Assistant      
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Hobbies:  Competitive Rubik's Cubing, Video Gaming, Public Transportationing
Theme Music: 'Gentle Madman' by Persona 5 Royal OST (link)

Astella Leung

 

PostBaccalaureate Research Assistant      
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Alma Mater:  Brooklyn College
Hobbies:  Skateboarding, Watching Horror Films, Video Gaming
Theme Music: 'Reaching2' by EDEN (link)

Marc Calza

 

PostBaccalaureate Research Assistant      
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Alma Mater:  Stony Brook University
Hobbies: Baking, Reading, Music, Quiz Bowel
Theme Music: 'Tomorrow' by Brittany Howard (link)

Alumni

CUNY GC PhD Students

Dr. Christine Meck (2011-2015)
Laboratory Safety Specialist at Cornell
Thesis Title: "Studies Toward a General Synthesis of Polysubstituted alpha-Hydroxytropolones" (link)

Dr. Michael D'Erasmo (2013-2017)
Postdoctoral Associate at Emory University (Liotta Group)
Thesis Title: "Discovery and Development of a Three-Complonent Oxidopyrylium Cycloaddition and Its Application Toward alpha-Hydroxytropolone Synthesis" (link)

Dr. Danielle Hirsch (2013-2018)
Medical Writer for Ashfield Helathcare Communications
Thesis Title: "Synthesis and Evaluation of Densely Functionalized Troponoids" (link)

Dr. Lauren Bejcek (2016-2021)
Medicinal Chemist, PTC Therapeutics
Thesis Title: "Mechanistic and Synthetic Studies of Oxidopyrylium Cycloaddition Reactions" (link)

Dr. Alex Berkowitz (2015-2022)
Scientist, NJ Bio
Thesis Title: "Synthesis and Analysis of Novel Troponoid-Based Chemical Probes" (link)

Dr. Dan Schiavone (2016-2023)
Scientist, NJ Bio
Thesis Title: "Studies of Oxidopyrylium Ylide Dimers and Their Utility in the Synthesis of Densely Functionalized Troponoids" (link)

Dr. Nana Agyemang (2017-2023)
Scientist, AstraZeneca
Thesis Title: "Synthesis of Biologically Active Tropolones and Stereochemically Rich Compounds via Cross-Coupling Reactions" (link)

BC Undergraduate and Masters Students (Select)

Dr. Alberto Munoz (BS'13)
Columbia University PhD, '18 (Rovis group)
Postdoctoral Studies at MSKCC (Tan Group)
Senior Scientist, AbbVie

Dr. Noushad Mohd (BS '14)
Columbia University PhD, '20 (Leighton Group)
Doctoral Lecturer, Brooklyn College

Dr. Errol Hunte, Jr (BS '17)
AmeriCorps
MD Student, Albert Einstein School of Medicine

Sarah Avidan-Chaya (BS '17)
Teacher in Brooklyn

Yashkumar Ashani (MS '17)
Albany Molecular Research Institute

Dr. John Stasiak (BS '17)
Chemistry PhD Student at New York University (Woerpel Group)

Dr. Rudolf Abdelmessih (BS '19)
Chemical Engineering PhD Student at Northeastern University (Auguste Group)

Theresa Trelles (BS '19)
Chemistry PhD Student at University of Delaware (D. Watson Group)

Diana Kapkayeva (BS '19)
Chemistry PhD Student at Rutgers University- Newark (Brenner-Moyer Group)

Joel Gallardo Chow (BS '21)
Chemistry PhD Student at CUNY Graduate Center (Loverdi Group)

Mat Czajkowska (BS '22)
Chemistry PhD Student at New York University (Tomanik Group)

Frederick Grinfeld (postbac researcher))
Chemistry PhD Student at University of Pittsburgh

Jasmine Chow (BA '23)
Chemistry PhD Student at Yale University (Hazari Group)

Postdoctoral Associates

Dr. Alexander Grigoryan (2015-2016)
High School Science and Math Teacher in San Francisco

Dr. Aswin Garimalla (2015-2017)
Scientist at Adesis, Inc.

Dr. Americo Fraboni (2018)
Assistant Professor at Fullerton College

Previous Group Photos

2023  - (from left) JC, Saleh, Ryan, Beyza, Justin, Joel, Ana, Mat, Orugbani 

2021  - (from left) Diana, Sarah, Lauren, Dan, JC, Ryan and Alex

2017 - (Front Row) Irina, Sarah, Danielle, Lauren. (Middle Row) Dan, John, Nana, Alex, Errol. (Back Row) Rudolf, Ryan, Mike

2016 - Ryan, Alex, John, Nana, Dan, Alex, Danielle, Michae,l Errol, Yash

2015 - Ryan, Alex, Duygu, Michael, Sarah, Danielle

2014 - Chrissy, Mike, Sarah, Danielle, Ryan, Duygu

2013 - Chrissy, Yvonne, Danielle, Ryan, Mike

2012 - Yvonne, Alberto, Chrissy, Ryan