Education: 

PhD, Columbia University

MASc, Royal Military College of Canada

BASc, Queens University

Biography:

Prior to arriving at UCR, Dr. Wheeldon was a post-doctoral fellow at Brigham Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. As a postdoc, he developed new methods of high throughput biomaterials synthesis and screening. His doctoral research focused on the development of multi-functional enzymatic hydrogels for biofuel cells. This work built on his previous studies at the University of Buenos Aires, where he was a visiting scholar studying the electrochemistry of biological molecules. Dr. Wheeldon received his Master’s degree in Applied Science from the Royal Military College of Canada, under the supervision of Dr. Brant Peppley, where he worked on fuel reforming and hydrogen purification technologies for high and low temperature fuel cells.

Education: 

M.S., Bioengineering, UC Riverside

B.S., Biomedical Sciences, SE Missouri State University

Research Focus:

My work centers around engineering strains of both S. cerevisiae and K. marxianus to increase protein production. In S. cerevisiae, I developed a code to generate random mutations in the promoter region to identify mutations that decrease the production of the associated gene. This work focuses on targeting key elements of the promoter, such as the TATA box and the Pre-Initiation Complex (PIC). In K. marxianus, I focus on identifying gene knockouts using a whole-genome library created in our lab, to determine which knockouts lead to increased downstream secretion of target genes. Additionally, I examine how different promoters, signal peptides, and genes influence secretion. To assess secretion amounts, I use a lab-developed assay called the Colony Blot, which utilizes a split chemiluminescent marker and cross-references secretion levels with colony area.

Education: 

M.S., Bioengineering, UC Riverside

B.S., Biotechnology, Universidad Europea de Madrid

Research Focus:

My research focuses on engineering the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to enhance its performance in industrial applications. This includes expressing tardigrade proteins in yeast to improve stress tolerance in processes like biofuel production, utilizing CRISPRi and refactored plasmid libraries to increase protein secretion yields of proteins of interest such as organophosphate-degrading enzymes, and further developing the colony blot technique for screening high-secretion strains.

Education: 

M.S., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Dongguk University

Research Focus:

As a chemical engineer, my research focuses on engineering yeasts to address global challenges related to environmental issues and the depletion of fossil resources. The non-conventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica has emerged as a promising host for the bioproduction of renewable and value-added products. In my work with this species, I utilize CRISPR-Cas9-based functional screening to efficiently underpin gene targets associated with valuable industrial phenotypes for metabolic engineering. I have also been working on the adaptive laboratory evolution of baker’s yeast to develop phenotypes that enable the strain to survive in stressful environments. I hope my work will contribute to the development of more sustainable and efficient industrial processes.

Education: 

B.A., Biology and Education, Boston College

Research Focus:

I am dedicated to advancing our understanding of metabolic pathways and stress tolerance in nonconventional yeasts, specifically Kluyveromyces marxianus and Rhodotorula species. My research utilizes large-scale population genomic surveys to pinpoint key metabolic targets across these yeasts' pangenomes. By investigating the variation and evolution of phenotypes I aim to develop robust, high-productivity strains that are not only fast-growing but also highly resilient. These enhanced strains will drive forward sustainable production processes for fuels and chemicals, significantly contributing to industrial efficiency and environmental sustainability. Throughout my graduate studies, I have been honored to receive the NSF GRFP Fellowship, EBRC Industry Internship, and Plants3D Fellowship. As a Student STEM Ambassador with the Department of Energy, I aim to empower students  from minority groups to apply to National Lab internships.

Education: 

B.S., Genetics and Genomics, UC Davis

Research Focus:

My research focuses on developing high-throughput plant synthetic biology tools using Marchantia polymorpha as a model species.

Education: 

M.S., Biochemistry, UC Riverside

B.S., Biochemistry, CSU Fresno

Research Focus:

My work focuses on designing and screening various mutagenesis PYR1 libraries in the search for novel biosensors for various target chemicals, including environmental contaminants, substances of abuse, and metabolic engineering targets. I also work to validate these biosensors for orthogonality and limits of detection specific for their end use. These biosensors can be used for applications such as environmental sensing, drug detection, and CRISPR-Cas9 genome wide screens. 

Education: 

B.S., Chemistry, California Baptist University

Research Focus:

My research focuses on the evolutionary engineering of Kluyveromyces marxianus to enhance its robustness and scalability for industrial biotechnology. By using evolutionary techniques like genome shuffling, I aim to evolve strains capable of thriving in challenging environments, such as high temperatures, low pH, toxic conditions, or utilizing one-carbon compounds to efficiently produce valuable commodity chemicals. This approach can not only reduce dependency on costly feedstocks but also enhance the yeast's resilience and versatility. With these type of improvements, K. marxianus has the potential to be an effective platform for sustainable production in various fields, including biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and environmental applications.

Education: 

B.S., Biology, Colorado State University

Research Focus:

My research focuses on building tools to control and engineer biological systems. I’m interested in integrating synthetic biology into real world applications focusing on soil microbes, plants, and environmental systems. My work blends metabolic engineering, biosensor development, and synthetic circuit design, aiming for solutions that are practical, scalable, and rooted in a deep understanding of biology. I’m motivated by the challenge of making synthetic systems work reliably in messy, living environments.

Education: 

M.S., Chemical and Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside

B.S., Chemical Engineering, UC Riverside

Research Focus:

My research focuses on engineering microbial pathways to enhance the production of secondary metabolites and biofuels while exploring unconventional, sustainability carbon sources to support these processes. By translating laboratory findings into real-world applications, my work advances the understanding of bioprocess scalability, economic feasibility, and environmental impact, driving innovation to address global challenges and develop sustainable solutions.  

Education: 

M..S, Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University

B.S., Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University

Research Focus:

My previous work focused on using CRISPR/Cas9 and transposase-based tools to engineer cell factories for producing high-value chemicals such as terpenes and lipids. Currently, I am exploring genome-wide CRISPR screens in Kluyveromyces marxianus to identify key genes relevant to its industrial potential.

Education: 

B.S., Chemical and Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside

Research Focus:

My research focuses on using liquid handling robots to optimize and automate several laboratory protocols. The main focus of this work is to automate the process of library screening and sequencing through our recent biofoundary initiative. This NSF funded undertaking consists of multiple universities pooling together resources and creating a fully collaborative research environment. Ultimately my research would result in a fully automated system for screening libraries, preparing and sequencing libraries, and all of the steps in between.

Education: 

Ph.D., Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Research Focus:

I specialize in plant-microbe interkingdom biosensors and microbial synthetic gene circuits, with a focus on developing innovative environmental biosensors. My research aims to address critical challenges in agriculture and environmental sustainability by leveraging the power of plant-microbe interactions and synthetic biology. Through my work, I seek to create more efficient, responsive systems for monitoring and improving ecosystem health, contributing to a more sustainable future for both agriculture and the environment.

Education: 

PhD, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, UC Riverside

Research Focus:

I am Synthetic Biologist with a chemical engineering background specialized in designing and validating genome wide CRISPR screens as well as implementing NGS-based tools to drive functional genomics research in non-conventional yeasts. My interest lies in applying high-throughput workflows to scale-up research and development in the fields of synthetic biology, strain engineering, and production of therapeutics and biologics.

Education: 

PhD., Plant Pathology, Washington State University

M.S., Plant Pathology, Washington State University

B.S., Botany and Biology, Humboldt State University

Research Focus:

­­­­­My work currently focuses on characterizing naturally isolated plant associated soil bacteria for downstream applications. The overall goals are to develop and integrate microbial synthetic gene circuits to investigate plant-microbe interkingdom communications with these developed biosensors. I am using various bacterial conjugations systems as well as electroporation methods to integrate plasmids into these naturally occurring plant associated bacteria. I am also beginning to utilize confocal microscopy to investigate how these various bacterial species colonize Arabidopsis roots as a model. We are interested to know where colonization takes place as well as the extent of the colonization and how long the bacteria associate with the host. The goal is to find several candidate species that are ‘good’ colonizers to choose as candidates for further biosensor development.