Lab Members

Steve Knutson

Assistant Professor | Medicinal Chemistry sknutso@umich.edu

Affiliate | UM Program in Chemical Biology

Steve is originally from the Chicago suburbs and spent most of his early life in Illinois. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 2010 where studied Molecular and Cellular Biology and a little bit of Chemistry. He then worked for Thermo Fisher Scientific as an analytical biochemist and developed new immunoassays as a research scientist. During this time, he also worked towards a MSc in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine. He then went on to pursue his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta under the mentorship of Jen Heemstra, where he developed technologies to study adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing. As a Postdoctoral Fellow at Princeton, he worked with David MacMillan to engineer next-generation proximity labeling platforms. He is now an Assistant Professor here at U-M in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Steve loves all things science, RNA, travel, cooking, and is a huge Chicago sports fan and avid cinephile.

Gabby Ostrand

Undergraduate Researcher | gostrand@umich.edu

Gabby is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan studying Biomolecular Science with a minor in Business. She is interested in understanding biological mechanisms responsible for human disease, particularly in cancer. Through her undergraduate research experiences, she hopes to continue developing new skills and explore how discoveries in research can translate into improvements in patient care. After graduation, she plans to remain involved in both research and patient care while applying to medical school. Outside of academics, she enjoys going for walks, hanging out with her dogs and cat, yoga and pilates, and spending time with friends and family.

Georgiana Kerr

Undergraduate Researcher | georgiek@umich.edu

Georgiana is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Michigan studying Biochemistry. She is interested in exploring the different possibilities and functions of biological and chemical structures, particularly how mechanisms can drive diseases. After graduation, she plans to apply for medical school while gaining experience and continuing research in the lab. In her free time, Georgiana likes to do puzzles, drink coffee, and hang out with friends.

Interested in joining?

We are hiring at all career stages and looking for talented individuals to join our team. Prospective graduate students interested in our lab should apply through the College of Pharmacy PhD program, the Program in Chemical Biology, or the UM Biomedical Engineering PhD program. Interested undergraduates and postdoctoral fellows can contact Steve at sknutso@umich.edu.

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