Current Team Members

Taylor Opolka

Graduate Student (Biochemistry)

First year

I graduated in 2023 with my BS in Biological Sciences from Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As a lover of all things science, I find the diversity of study presented by the field of biochemistry incredibly exciting and rewarding. When not in class or lab, I am an avid reader and love to be active, especially rock climbing and playing basketball! I hope to become a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at a small university after graduating.

Matthew Politte

Undergraduate Student (Chemistry)

Class of 2026

I’m majoring in Chemistry and plan to attend Medical School

Drew Baranko

Undergraduate Student (Biochemistry)

Class of 2026

I enjoy organic chemistry and learning about the biological systems that make the world work. While not studying biochemistry, I love learning about wartime history and am a golf enthusiast. I plan to go to medical school after graduating.

Jackson Schelzig

Undergraduate Student (Biochemistry)

Class of 2027

I am a biochemistry student interested in the complexities of the human body, and for me, understanding that complexity means understanding life at its most fundamental, which led me to the DasGupta laboratory. In my free time, I love to go ice skating and I play the cello. In the future, I plan to pursue a career in medicine.


Annyesha Biswas

Postdoctoral Researcher

I completed my PhD in 2023 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, with a specific emphasis on Nucleic Acid Chemical Biology. I enjoy working on various aspects of nucleic acids and intend to join the oligonucleotide industry in future. Outside the lab, I enjoy cooking, watching movies and reading.

Casey Hoffman

Undergraduate Student


                                                     The DasGupta Laboratory opened its doors in March 2024

We aspire to be a vibrant group driven by curiosity and camaraderie. Together we will take on some of science's hardest but foundational questions such as:

How did life emerge 4 billion years ago?   How can we make chemical systems evolve?  What are the structural principles underlying catalytic function in the earliest enzymes made of RNA? How do RNA enzymes acquire new functions through evolutionary adaptation?

We won't just look at the past, we will also look into the future. 

Using evolutionary approaches, we will develop new technologies to investigate poorly understood areas of RNA Biology. Initially, we will focus on RNAs with terminal modifications.

We are excited about all things RNA (and nucleic acids) - so bring your own ideas, and let's explore!