Graduate Students

Yuhan Lyu

Yuhan (Ivy) is originally from China and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Indiana University Bloomington. Her current research focuses on protein engineering and exploring innovative approaches for therapeutic development.

Nicole Pinnette

Nicole is originally from Maine. She received a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Maine. Nicole is interested in peptide inhibitor discovery for novel proteins of therapeutic importance. In her spare time she enjoys painting, cooking and traveling!

Lingchao (Jerry) Kong

Jerry obtained his Master's from Brandeis in 2017 and joined the Gao group in 2020. His research focuses on lysine-targeting reversible and irreversible covalent warheads and their applications. He owns a cute cat named Tom.

Brittney Chau

Brittney is from Southern California and received her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry/Chemistry at UC San Diego. She is interested in high throughput screening and the development of peptide-based drugs. During her free time, she likes to go to the gym and try new food.

Fan Yang

Fan earned her bachelor's in chemistry and master's in medicinal chemistry from Beijing Normal University. Her research focues on innovative cyclization strategies to enbale discovery of bioactive peptide macrocycles. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking and traveling.

Esma Ucar

Esma hails from Turkey and joined the Gao lab in Dec 2021. She is interested in structure based design of covalent inhibitors and her current research focuses on bioconjugation chemistry, particularly bioconjugation of native protein nucleophiles. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, shopping and learning new languages.

Devon Yu

Devon grew up in Quincy, MA and graduated from UMass Amherst with a dual degree in Mathematics and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. His research interests are in organic synthesis, bioconjugation chemistry, bioengineering, and synthetic biology. In his free time Devon enjoys cooking, watching movies, and going to concerts.

Hannah Hunt

Hannah is from Shelburne, Vermont and got her B.S. in chemistry at Fordham University. Her research experience and interests involve the discovery, design, and development of active targeting, peptide-based therapeutics. In the Gao lab, she is working to improve phage-display screening of potential peptide inhibitors. Aside from chemistry, Hannah acts and does stand-up comedy sometimes! Chemistry puns not included.

Yifan Li

Yifan is originally from Wenzhou, China and earned his master’s from Rice University, where he worked on the biosynthesis pathway of the anti-tumor compound malformin C. Currently, I am utilizing phage display technology to screen to evolve viral proteins that modulate cell surface receptors.

Jiaxi Xiao

Jiaxi received her B.S. degree from Tianjin University and then completed her master’s in Nankai University, where she worked on the rapid assembly of marine ladder polyethers via intramolecular endo-selective epoxide-opening cascade. In 2024, she joined the Gao group to pursue her doctoral degree and currently works on tetrazole-based bioconjugation.

Mengzhe Yao

Mengzhe received his B.S. from USTC, China and joined the Gao lab in Dec 2024. He is interested in bioconjugation chemistry. In addition to English and Chinese, Mengzhe also speaks Japanese and is an animation enthusiast.

Undergraduate Researchers

Sophie Lowy - Class of 2025, Biochemistry

Weihang (William) Huang - Class of 2025, Biology

Samuel Carey - Class of 2025, Bichemistry

Alix Han - Class of 2025, Chemistry

Apsen Fain - Class of 2026, Biochemistry

Sophia Cambi - Class of 2026, Biochemistry

Teagan Reilly - Class of 2027, Biochemistry

Over the years...

Group Picture, May 2025

Group Lunch, 2024

Baby Shower for Mengmeng and Mi, 2022

Group 2022

Farewell to Dr. Jhuma Bhadra, 2020

Group Picture, 2018

2016 Group Picture, in front of Merkert

Group Dinner, 2014

2011 Group Picture

2008 Group Picture

Group Alumi

Group Alums - We love to hear from you with what you are up to and your exciting next steps.

Former Group Members (with the latest known positions noted)

Dr. Fredrik Haeffner Research Associate 1910 Genetics
Prof. Flavia Zacconi Visiting Scholar (2013-14) Pontificia Universidad Católica de

Chile

Prof. Qinyu Gao Visiting Scholar (2017-18) China Univ. Mining Tech., China

Dr. Tao Ye Post-doc (2007-08) Abbvie Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Xiuling Chi Post-doc (2013-14) Kolltan Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Bandyopadhyay Post-doc (2012-15) Assistant Professor, IIT-Ropar, India
Dr. Jhuma Bhadra Post-doc (2019-19) Assistant Professor, Calcutta Univ.,

India

Dr. Fa-Jie Chen Post-doc (2020-22) Associate Professor, Fuzhou

University

Dr. Mengmeng Zheng Post-doc (2019-23) Scientist, Aera Therapeutics
Dr. Rahi Masoom Reja Post-doc (2019-23) Senior Scientist, Eli Lilly

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Dr. Hong Zheng Ph.D., 2012 Research Analyst, Ally Bridge Group
Dr. Luoheng Qin Ph.D., 2012 Senior Scientist, Johnson & Johnson
Dr. Fang Wang Ph.D., 2012 Scientist, SCIEX
Dr. Chris Pace Ph.D., 2013 Senior Director, GlobalData Healthcare
Dr. Yue Zhao Ph.D., 2015 Scientist, Bluebird Bio
Dr. Azade Hosseini Ph.D., 2016 Post-doc, MIT, with Dr. Matt Shoulders
Dr. Breana Zerfas Ph.D., 2017 Post-doc, Univ. Indiana, with Dr. Darci Trader
Dr. Kelly McCarthy Ph.D., 2018 Scientist, FORMA Therapeutics
Dr. Samantha Cambray Ph.D., 2019 Consultant, Navigant Consulting, Inc.

Dissertation Fellow

Dr. Mike Kelly Ph.D., 2020 Scientist, Dragonfly Therapeutics
Dr. Kaicheng Li Ph.D., 2020 Post-doc, Harvard Medical School with

Prof. Elliot L. Chaikof

Dr. Wenjian Wang Ph.D., 2021 Post-doc, Scripps Research with

Prof. Peng Wu

Kristen Demick M.S., 2009 Chemistry Teacher, Saugus High School
Nanjiu Liu M.S., 2011 Nextcea, Inc.
Lauren Blair M.S., 2015 Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
Chelsea Weidman M.S., 2017 Technician & Clinical Study Coordinator,

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

Vincent Nobile M.S., 2022 Research Associate, Amgen
Sandra Sisko M.S., 2022 Research Associate, BigHat Biosciences

Michael Goldstein Graduate Student transferred to the Mohanty group
Ally Maher Graudate Student

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Kevin Lebo B.S., 2008 John Hopkins, Biophysics Ph.D. Program
Cassandra Abel B.S., 2008 Pharmaceutical industry
Kristofer Comeforo B.S., 2009 Teach for America
Julian Vastl B.S., 2010 Yale, Chemistry Ph.D. Program,

Beckman Scholar

Nicole Ciccolo B.S., 2010 Clinical Research Assistant at MGH

BC Sophomore Scholar

Ruben Mylvaganam B.S., 2011 Medical School, NYU
Adrian Ong B.S., 2011 Medical School, SUNY Buffalo
Christopher Sheridan B.S., 2012 Boston College

Presidential Scholar

Goldwater Fellowship

Patrick Wong B.S., 2012 Graduate School, Yale Immunology

Kozarich Fellowship

Scholar of College

McCarthy Prize in Natural Sciences

NSF Pre-doctoral Fellowship

Diane Kim B.S., 2012 Masters in Medical Sciences, BU
Ryan Malonis B.S., 2013 MD/Ph Student, Einstein College of Medicine

Scholar of College

Chris Vaudo B.S., 2014 George Washington School of Medicine
Jeremy Kaswer B.S., 2014 UConn Medcial School
Adam Esposito B.S., 2014 Moderna Therapeutics
Hak Kim B.S., 2014 Master program in education, Boston College
Alex Truglio B.S., 2015 Analyst at GfK Market Access Consulting
Yechaan (Eric) Joo B.S., 2015 Research Assistant at Harvard Medical School
Sara Daley B.S., 2015 PhD student, Princeton Chemistry
Renee Zhang B.S., 2015 Masters in Biotech, Johns Hopkins Univ.
Gabrielle Jude B.S., 2017 Applying to Medical Schools
Elise Hon B.S., 2018 Applying to Medical Schools
Kyung Wong (Josh) Seo B.S., 2017 PhD Student, Princeton University
Irene Kim B.S., 2017 Samsung, Korea
Claire Ferguson B.S., 2018 SUNY Downstate Medical School

Scholar of College

Natalia Chmielewska B.S., 2020
Tuo Ji B.S., 2020
Nhat Minh Ho B.S., 2020 Med School, Houston

Kozarich Fellowship

Alex Hung B.S., 2020
Minyun Wang B.S., 2021 Graduate School, Zhejiang University
Yanlin Zi B.S. 2021 Graduate School, Cornell
Jessica Freed B.S. 2022 Graduate School, Harvard

Beckman Scholar, 2020

Scholar of the College

Nicole Wei B.S., 2023 Medical School

Scholar of the College

Caitlin Kacena B.S., 2023
Carl Berggren B.S., 2023 Graduate School, Univ. Rochester
Kristi Liivak B.S., 2024 Graduate School, MIT

Scholar of the College