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Here I list the present and past members of the Doerksen Research Team.
Here I list the present and past members of the Doerksen Research Team.
I sometimes have openings for graduate students and undergraduate students (check with me). Note that we do computational research. If thinking about joining the group, you should be interested in the computational or theoretical aspects of subjects such as chemistry, medicinal chemistry or chemical biology and, for applicants to be graduate students, preferably have some relevant experience.
I sometimes have openings for graduate students and undergraduate students (check with me). Note that we do computational research. If thinking about joining the group, you should be interested in the computational or theoretical aspects of subjects such as chemistry, medicinal chemistry or chemical biology and, for applicants to be graduate students, preferably have some relevant experience.
I sometimes have openings for postdoctoral fellows or research scientists. For people at that stage of their careers, they should have an outstanding record of achievement at the PhD level (and in any subsequent positions), programming skills, and experience with using molecular dynamics to solve biological problems.
I sometimes have openings for postdoctoral fellows or research scientists. For people at that stage of their careers, they should have an outstanding record of achievement at the PhD level (and in any subsequent positions), programming skills, and experience with using molecular dynamics to solve biological problems.
Current Members
Current Members
Postdoctoral Fellow: Dr. Bakhtyar Sepehri (8/2024-Present)
PHD Graduates
PHD Graduates
Dr. Ben Sawyer (8/2019-7/2024) “Progress in synthetic methodology development for natural product-inspired drug discovery.”
o PhD advisors: Dr. Hoang Le (8/2019-5/2023); Dr. Sudeshna Roy (6/2023-11/2023); Dr. Robert Doerksen (12/2023-8/2024)
o {Science Writer, Qualis LLC, Salt Lake City UT}
Dr. Priyanka Samanta (7/2020-4/2024) “Molecular modeling of inhibitors of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and urinary tract infections.”
o {Associate Scientist in Computational Chemistry, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis TN}
Dr. AyoOluwa Aderibigbe (8/2016-8/2021) “Computational modeling of non-active functional states of the cannabinoid receptor 1 and its ligands.”
o {ORISE Postdoctoral Research Fellow, FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson AR}
Dr. Manal Nael (1/2012-5/2016) “Targeting protein kinases to manage or prevent Alzheimer’s disease.”
o {Research Assistant Professor, Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple U, Philadelphia PA}
Dr. Pankaj Pandey (8/2010-12/2015) “Protein–ligand interaction studies and Identification of new drug-like hits as cannabinoid receptor modulators.”
o {Research Scientist, National Center for Natural Products Research, U Mississippi}
Dr. Shuneize E. Slater (12/2011-8/2015) “The discovery of novel inhibitors of plasmodium falciparum ATPase-6 obtained from a mechanistic study of artemisinin.”
o {Dean, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, U Arkansas Monticello, Monticello AR}
Dr. Khaled M. Elokely (1/2009-11/2013) “Protein kinases: Structure modeling, inhibition, and protein–protein interactions.”
o {Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, U Wyoming, Laramie WY}
Dr. Gang Fu (7/2007-5/2012) “Discovery of novel glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibitors: Molecular modeling, virtual screening, and biological evaluation.”
o {Principal Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Seattle WA}
Dr. Pankaj Daga (8/2005-5/2010) “Combating hepatitis B virus by targeting DNA polymerase: Computational insights into resistance development and search for novel inhibitors by virtual screening.”
o {Computational Medicinal Chemist, Neuron23, Fremont CA}
Dr. Prasanna Sivaprakasam (12/2004-4/2009) “Targeting signal transduction pathways: Farnesyltransferase and glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibitors."
o {Director, Protein and Molecular Modeling, SpringWorks Therapeutics, Durham NC}
Research Scientist ALUM
Research Scientist ALUM
Congratulations to Dr. Mishra on his tenure-track faculty position!
Congratulations to Dr. Mishra on his tenure-track faculty position!
Dr. Sushil K. Mishra (10/2020-9/2024)
o {Assistant Professor, Dept of Biomedical Engineering, U Mississippi, Commenced 10/2024}
Postdoc ALUMs
Postdoc ALUMs
Dr. Mohamed E. Jahan (1/2023-3/2024)
Dr. Pankaj Pandey (2/2016-4/2019; 7/2019-6/2021)
o {Research Scientist, National Center for Natural Products Research, U Mississippi}
Dr. Zaheer Ul Haq (4/2018-8/2018)
o {Professor of Computational Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Science, U Karachi, Pakistan}
Dr. Kuldeep K. Roy (6/2013-4/2016)
o {Professor & Head (Pharma Cluster), UPES, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India}
Dr. Mukesh Yadav (7/2013-10/2013)
o {Founder and Director, Shridhar Fertichem & Shridhar Agritech, Ghughriyakhedi, Khargone, India}
Dr. Haining Liu (3/2009-8/2012)
o {Senior Scientist, Computational Chemistry and Machine Learning Models, International Flavors & Fragrances, Keyport, NJ}
Dr. Ronak Patel (7/2008–6/2010)
Dr. Aihua Xie (1/2005–1/2009)
Dr. Jinsong Duan (11/2005–4/2007)
Dr. Srinivas Odde (3/2006–6/2007)
Undergrad ALUMs
Undergrad ALUMs
For undergraduate students, I aim to give them a research experience which could motivate them for a career that includes research or convince them to head in a different direction. See below for some of the interesting paths that my team of undergraduate researchers have taken.
For undergraduate students, I aim to give them a research experience which could motivate them for a career that includes research or convince them to head in a different direction. See below for some of the interesting paths that my team of undergraduate researchers have taken.
Undergraduate students (45) [Student status and institution at time of joining Doerksen group is indicated in square brackets] {Subsequent educational achievements indicated in curly brackets}:
Abigail Haskew [Freshman, Oklahoma Christian University] (5-7/2023), NSF REU student
Kailey Bell [Freshman, U Mississippi] (1/2022-5/2023)
Zynub Al-Sherri [Sophomore, U Mississippi] (3/2021-9/2022)
Max Tucker [Junior, Washington College, MD] (5-7/2022), NSF REU student
o {PhD student, Dept of Chemistry, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO}
Ashton Custer [Junior, U Mississippi] (11/2020-5/2022)
o {Researcher, U Mississippi Medical Center}
Lara Kockaya [Junior, Henderson State U, AR] (6-8/2021), NSF REU student
o {Commenced PhD in School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Fall 2022}
Anthony Sumlin [Junior, Arkansas St. U] (5-8/2019), NSF REU student
o {MS in Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Associate Chemist, Sherwin-Williams, Bowling Green, KY}
E. Ross Hodges [Freshman, U Mississippi] (3-8/2018)
o {PharmD student}
Rachel Boone [Junior, U Mississippi] (5-8/2018)
o {MS, Mississippi College, 2020}
Colin Welsh [Junior, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN] (5-8/2018), NSF REU student
o {Commenced PhD in Medical University of South Carolina, Fall 2020; Postdoctoral Fellow, Goergia Tech}
Genevieve Halingten-Verville [Junior, U Mississippi] (5-8/2017)
o {Commenced as postbaccalaureate fellow, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda MD, 2020}
Kamesha Adams [Sophomore, LeMoyne-Owen College, Memphis TN] (5-8/2017), NSF REU student
Rachel Kroeger [Sophomore, U Mississippi] (5-8/2017)
Jennifer Gross [Senior, U Mississippi] (6-8/2017)
o {BS at UM; Web developer, U Alaska Southeast}
Mukesh Ghimire [Sophomore, U Mississippi] (5-7/2017)
Zachary Cuny [Junior, Mississippi State U] (5-8/2016), NSF REU Student
o {Commenced PhD in Chemistry, University of Alabama Birmingham (Fall 2017); Instructional Laboratory Coordinator, Department of Chemistry, UAB}
Ngoc Nguyen [Senior, U Mississippi] (6/2015-5/2016), NIH Predoctoral Fellow
o {PhD in Chemistry, U Utah (2022); Process Development Chemist at PolyPeptide Group, Torrance, CA}
Caleb Ezell [Junior, U Mississippi] (5/2014-8/2015), NIH Predoctoral Fellow
Ennia Ferreira [Junior, Western Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESO), Guadalajara, Mexico] (7-8/2015)
Estefanía Aburto [Senior, Universidad La Salle, Mexico City, Mexico] (7-8/2015)
Valerie Huang [Freshman, U Southern California] (5-8/2015), NSF REU Student
o {Commenced as MD student at USC, 2018; Resident in Thoracic Surgery, LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA}
Cameron Lee [Freshman, Samford U] (5-8/2015), NSF REU Student
o {Completed REU program at Ohio State U in 2016; completed Pharm.D. at Sanford U., 2020; Clinical Research Pharmacist,UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA}
Ashlee J. Colbert [Sophomore, Florida A&M U] (5-8/2014), NSF REU student
o {Obtained PhD in 2021 from Purdue U, Department of Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Engineer, Battelle, Gainesville, GA}
Michael C. Santana [Sophomore, Universidad Metropolitana Recinto de Cupey, Sistema Universitario Ana G. Méndez, San Juan, Puerto Rico] (5-8/2014), NSF REU student
Trent M. Todd [Junior, U Mississippi] (5-8/2014), NIH Predoctoral Fellow
o {Completed MS, Georgetown U, 2017}
Dion Kevin [Senior/Professional Pharmacy, U Mississippi] (7/2009-5/2014) [BSPS; Vice-President of Business Development, MR-NET by Motion Ray]
Haneen M. Matalgah [Freshman, U Mississippi] (6/2013-1/2014)
Austin W. Boler [Freshman, U Mississippi] (6/2013-5/2014)
Madeline C. Ott [Freshman, U Mississippi] (6-8/2013)
o {Completed Pharm.D. at UM, 2020; Pharmacist, Columbus, MS}
Roya Gordji [Freshman, U Mississippi] (6-8/2013)
o {Completed MD at UMMC, 2020; Fellow, Infectious Diseases, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC}
Lance Ezell [Junior, U Mississippi] (6-8/2013)
o {Entered PhD program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2014}
Laura Beth Jobe [Junior, Erskine College] (5-7/2013), NSF REU student
o {MD, U South Carolina, Greenville SC, 2018; Pediatrician in Greenville, SC}
Caleb Swain [Junior, Georgia Southern U] (5-7/2013), NSF REU student
o {MD, Mercer U, Atlanta GA, 2019}
LaVar Craine [Junior, Rust College] (6-8/2010)
o {Monsanto, Memphis TN}
Atreyi Dasmahapatra [Senior, St. Xavier's College, Calcutta, India] (6-7/2010)
o {PhD, U Texas, Arlington, in Chemistry & Biochemistry, 2017; Data Analyst III, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Fremont CA}
Justin Deloach [Junior, Rust College] (6-7/2009)
Kitae Myoung [Junior, U Mississippi] (5/2007-7/2009)
o {MS, Georgia Tech, in computer science, 2012; senior software developer/manager, UNICON International, Taipei, Taiwan}
Sidney Govan [Sophomore, Rust College] (6-8/2008)
David Borzik [Freshman, U Mississippi] (5-7/2008)
o {Graduated from UMMC MD program; pathologist in Baltimore, MD}
Karthik Maddhi [Junior, Vellore Inst. Tech.] (5-8/2008)
o {PhD, Goethe U in Life Sciences; Associate Director, Clinical Strategy and Evidence Generation, Pharmanovia, London UK}
Ronald Kim [Senior, U Mississippi] (1-5/2008)
o {Pharm.D., 2011; Currently a pharmacist at Walmart in Jackson, MS}
Robin Finnamore [Senior, U Mississippi] (1-5/2007)
o {High School teacher, MS}
Steven Bie [Freshman, U Toronto] (5-8/2006)
o {Chief Compliance Officer, VirgoCX, Toronto, Canada}
Perrer Tosso [Junior, Norfolk State U] (6-7/2006)
o {PhD, Georgetown U, 2014; Senior Manager, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies at United States Pharmacopeia}
Shawna Clark [Junior, Tougaloo College] (6-7/2006)
o {DDS, U Tennessee Health Science Center, 2012; assistant professor at U. Tennessee Health Science Center and dentist at Christ Community Health Services, Memphis, TN}
Other Alums
Other Alums
Instructor:
Charles T. Rich, Rust College (6/2008-8/2008; 6/2009-8/2009)
PharmD students:
Dr. Emily Lewis (6-8/2016)
Dr. G. D. (Nick) Walker (6-8/2016)
Dr. Veena Gadepalli (6-8/2011; 9/2012-6/2016)
Visiting MS students:
Chiu-Wen Li (8-12/2019), National Pingtung University of Science & Technology, Department of Food Science, MS student
Wei Chen Zhang (8-12/2018), National Pingtung University of Science & Technology, Department of Food Science, MS student
o {Commenced PhD in School of Nutrition Sciences and Wellness, University of Arizona, 8/2022}
Ming-Yi Cheng (1-6/2016), National Pingtung University of Science & Technology, Department of Food Science, MS student
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