Swarts Lab
Alumni
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Undergraduate student alumni
Undergraduate student alumni
Chelsey Hamel '14 BS Biochemistry
Chelsey Hamel '14 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Development of Antibody-Recruiting Small Molecule (ARM)-Based Strategies for Tuberculosis Immunotherapy: Synthesis and Evaluation of Dinitrophenyl Conjugates for Modifying the Cell Surface of Mycobacteria
Hometown: Drummond Island, MI
Post-CMU: Research assistant, Michigan State University
Doug Wing '14 BS Biochemistry
Doug Wing '14 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Trehalose Analogs: Rapid Access to Chemical Probes for Investigating Mycobacteria
Hometown: Decatur, IL
Post-CMU: Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing
Zac Wagar '15 BS Biomedical Sciences
Zac Wagar '15 BS Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Uptake of Modified Trehalose Analogs through the SugABC-LpqY Transporter in Mycobacterium smegmatis
Hometown: Gaylord, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Central Michigan University
Bailey Urbanek '16 BS Biomedical Sciences
Bailey Urbanek '16 BS Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Synthesis and Evaluation of Trehalose Analogues for Inhibition of Mycobacterial Biofilms
Hometown: Midland, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Central Michigan University
Max Hogue '16 BS Biochemistry and Physics
Max Hogue '16 BS Biochemistry and Physics
Thesis: Chemical Synthesis of Azido Inositols via Ferrier Rearrangement
Hometown: Sanilac County, MI
Post-CMU: Dental school, University of Detroit Mercy
Hannah Foley '16 BS Biochemistry and Neuroscience
Hannah Foley '16 BS Biochemistry and Neuroscience
Thesis: Bioorthogonal Chemical Reporters for Selective In Situ Probing of Mycomembrane Components in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Bay City, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Michigan
Cody Wilson '16 BS Integrative Public Relations
Cody Wilson '16 BS Integrative Public Relations
Project: Chemical Synthesis of Azido Sugars and Kinetic Studies in the Strain-Promoted Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition
Hometown: Tipton, MI
Post-CMU: US Army, Information technology and security field
Christian Burns '16 BS Chemistry
Christian Burns '16 BS Chemistry
Project: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Trehalose Analogs as Potential Biofilm Inhibitors for Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hometown: Jackson, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Virginia
Sarah Rundell '16 BS Biochemistry
Sarah Rundell '16 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Fluorine-Modified Trehalose Analogues as Possible PET Probes for Mycobacterial Infection: Rapid Synthesis, Conformational Analysis, and Uptake by Mycobacteria
Hometown: Morrice, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Ohio State University
Temitope Nathan '16 BS Biochemistry
Temitope Nathan '16 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis and Characterization of Dinitrophenyl-Modified Trehalose Analogues for Delivering Antibody-Recruiting Small Molecules to Mycobacteria
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Western Michigan University
Brent Piligian '17 BS Biomedical Sciences
Brent Piligian '17 BS Biomedical Sciences
Projects: Mycobacteria chemoproteomics probes; enzymatic synthesis of trehalose analogues
Hometown: Canton, MI
Post-CMU: Postbaccalaureate scholar, National Institutes of Health
Adrian Rylski '17 BS Biochemistry
Adrian Rylski '17 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis and Evaluation of Dinitrophenyl-Modified Trehalose Analogues for the Delivery of Antibody-Recruiting Small Molecules (ARMs) to Mycobacteria
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Texas-Austin
Claudia Ramsey '17 BS Biomedical Sciences
Claudia Ramsey '17 BS Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Toward Rapid Diagnosis of Tuberculosis from Patient Sputum Samples: Synthesis and Evaluation of a Fluorogenic Probe for Trehalose Dimycolate Hydrolase in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Post-CMU: MD, Medical College of Wisconsin
Tina Bednarz '17 BS Biochemistry
Tina Bednarz '17 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: De Novo Chemical Synthesis of 3-Azido-3-Deoxy-myo-Inositol via Ferrier Rearrangement
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Post-CMU: Pharmacy school, University of Michigan
Hannah Brinkman '18 BS Biochemistry and Neuroscience
Hannah Brinkman '18 BS Biochemistry and Neuroscience
Project: Mycobacteria chemoproteomics probes
Hometown: Holland, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, UC Davis
Mara O'Neill '18 BS Chemistry
Mara O'Neill '18 BS Chemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of Trehalose Analogues and Uptake by Mycobacteria
Hometown: Oil City, MI
Post-CMU: Chemist, Eurofins Lancaster
Jeff Wolber '18 BS Neuroscience
Jeff Wolber '18 BS Neuroscience
Project: Inhibition of mycobacterial biofilms
Hometown: Brownstown, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, University of Michigan
Abigail Detzler '18 BS Biochemistry
Abigail Detzler '18 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis and Characterization of Azido Mannose Analogues as Potential Tools for Defining the Mannoproteome of Mycobacteria
Hometown: Ashley, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Central Michigan University
Nathan Holmes '18 BS Biomedical Sciences
Nathan Holmes '18 BS Biomedical Sciences
Thesis: Synthesis and Evaluation of a Fluorogenic Probe for Detecting Mycobacteria
Hometown: Howell, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Michigan State University
Jessica Groenevelt '18 BS Biochemistry
Jessica Groenevelt '18 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Concise Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Trehalosamine, an Aminoglycoside Antibiotic and Precursor to Mycobacterial Imaging Probes
Hometown: Muskegon, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Wayne State University
Devin Moore '18 BS Biochemistry
Devin Moore '18 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: A Bifunctional Chemical Reporter for Dual Cell-Surface Functionalization of Live Mycobacteria
Hometown: Tecumseh, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Central Michigan University.
Noah Danielson '18 BS Biochemistry
Noah Danielson '18 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis and Evaluation of 5-Deoxy-5-Thio-D-Trehalose as a Trehalase-Resistant Trehalose Surrogate
Hometown: Midland, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Purdue University
B. Dillon Vannest '19 BS Biochemistry
B. Dillon Vannest '19 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: FRET-Based Fluorogenic Trehalose Dimycolate Analogue for Probing Mycomembrane-Remodeling Enzymes of Mycobacteria
Hometown: Gladwin, MI
Post-CMU: Staff Scientist, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Livermore, CA
Alicyn Stothard '20 BS Biochemistry
Alicyn Stothard '20 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Evaluation of Trehalase Inhibition by Trehalose Analogues Toward Preventing Growth of Clostridium difficile and Other Bacterial Pathogens
Hometown: Coleman, MI
Post-CMU: Chemist, Cayman Chemical
Dan Gepford '20 BS Biochemistry
Dan Gepford '20 BS Biochemistry
Thesis title: Synthesis of Far-Red Fluorogenic Trehalose and Trehalose Monomycolate Analogues for the Detection of Mycobacteria
Hometown: Harrison, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Virginia Tech
Nik Kambitsis '20 BS Biochemistry
Nik Kambitsis '20 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of FRET-Based Probes for Studying Mycobacterial Enzymes in Vivo
Hometown: Lake in the Hills, IL
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Illinois Chicago
Cameron Lee '20 BS Biochemistry
Cameron Lee '20 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Advancement Towards the Synthesis of a Fluorescence-Quenched Trehalose Mycomembrane Probe
Hometown: Kingsley, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Grand Valley State University
Madison Saunders '21 BS Biochemistry
Madison Saunders '21 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of Trehalose Monomycolate Derivatives for Enhancing Permeability of Mycobacteria
Hometown: Liberty Township, OH
Post-CMU: Medical school, Wayne State University
Isaac Angera '21 BS Biochemistry
Isaac Angera '21 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Development of a Trojan Horse Strategy for Tuberculosis Immunotherapy
Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Notre Dame
Nicole Henson '22 BS Chemistry
Nicole Henson '22 BS Chemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of 2-Iodo-Trehalose as a Synthetic Intermediate for Accessing Mycobacterium tuberculosis inhibitors
Hometown: Battle Creek, MI
Post-CMU: Lab specialist, Pfizer
Blake Holdwick '22 BS Biochemistry
Blake Holdwick '22 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Development of a Novel Class of Sugars for Medical and Biotechnological Applications: Degradation-Resistant Trehalose Analogues
Hometown: Bad Axe, MI
Post-CMU: Quality Analyst, Honeywell Research Material Division
Katie Sowell '22 BS Chemistry
Katie Sowell '22 BS Chemistry
Thesis: Extending the Synthetic Capability of the Trehalose-Synthesizing TreT Enzyme: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Halogenated Trehalose Analogues
Hometown: Fowlerville, MI
Post-CMU: Research Assistant, University of Michigan
Justin Hassen '22 BS Biochemistry
Justin Hassen '22 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Trehalose-6-Phosphate Analogues Using OtsA
Hometown: Mount Pleasant, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Wayne State University
Jessica Tauriainen '23 BS Biochemistry
Jessica Tauriainen '23 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Rapid Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Modified Trehalose Derivatives for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Inhibition
Hometown: Macomb, MI
Post-CMU: Physicians assistant school, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Daniel Swanson '23 BS Biochemistry
Daniel Swanson '23 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis and Evaluation of Small Trehalose–Fluorophore Conjugates as Potential Probes for Bacterial Trehalose Uptake
Hometown: Mount Pleasant, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Michigan State University
Ishani Gaidhane '24 BS Biochemistry and Mathematics
Ishani Gaidhane '24 BS Biochemistry and Mathematics
Thesis: Chemical remodeling of the mycomembrane with chain-truncated glycolipids increases permeability of Mycobacterium smegmatis to rifampicin
Hometown: Canton, MI
Post-CMU: MD-PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Emma Doederlein '24 BS Biochemistry and Mathematics
Emma Doederlein '24 BS Biochemistry and Mathematics
Thesis: Developing A New Method for the Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Detectable, Catalytically Inactive Mycobacteria-Specific Glycolipid Hydrolase Enzyme
Hometown: Gaylord, MI
Post-CMU: Pharmacy school, University of Michigan
Emily Maskill '24 BS Chemistry, Chemical Technology Concentration
Emily Maskill '24 BS Chemistry, Chemical Technology Concentration
Thesis: Synthesis of Biotin-Trehalose Conjugates for Detection of Mycobacteria
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Notre Dame
Evan Siemienkiewicz '24 BS Biochemistry
Evan Siemienkiewicz '24 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Screening Trehalose Synthase Variants for Substrate Tolerance with Trehalose Analogs for the Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hometown: Saginaw, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Eastern Michigan University
Ekene Osiri '24 BS Biochemistry
Ekene Osiri '24 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Optimizing the Scaled-up Synthesis of 6-Azido-Trehalose and 6,6’-Diazido-Trehalose Hexaacetate
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Post-CMU: Medical school, Kansas City University
Carson Bush '24 BS Biochemistry
Carson Bush '24 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of Inositol Analogues as Tools to Study Mycobacterial Glycolipids
Hometown: Newago, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Central Michigan University
Andy Kruskamp '24 BS Biochemistry
Andy Kruskamp '24 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of a Mycolic Acid Probe for Investigating Mycolic Acid Recycling in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Clare, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Michigan State University
Ki'auna Meyer '25 BS Biochemistry
Ki'auna Meyer '25 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Finding Potential Epimeric Azido- and Amino-Trehalose Inhibitors for the TreS Pathway in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hometown: Alpena, MI
Post-CMU: Medical school, Rocky Mountain Vista University
Casey Papson '25 BS Biochemistry
Casey Papson '25 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of Trehalose Glycolipids and Evaluation of their Binding to Trehalose Dimycolate Hydrolase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Hometown: Howell, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Notre Dame
Phoenix Knipe '25 BS Biochemistry
Phoenix Knipe '25 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: Optimizing the Immune Targeting of Mycobacteria via Surface Glycan Engineering
Hometown: Traverse City, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Central Michigan University
Melanie Hall '26 BS Biochemistry
Melanie Hall '26 BS Biochemistry
Thesis: The use of mCherry-Tagged Trehalose Synthase Enzyme Variants to Chemoenzymatically Synthesize Trehalose Analogues Shows no Discernable Advantage over the Existing Method
Hometown: Farwell, MI
Post-CMU: Pharmacy school, Ferris State University
Graduate student alumni
Graduate student alumni
Jessica Stewart '15 MS Chemistry
Jessica Stewart '15 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Synthesis and Evaluation of Bioorthogonal Probes for Studying the Mycomembrane in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Ithaca, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Wayne State University
Lisa Meints '16 MS Chemistry
Lisa Meints '16 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Rapid One-Step Chemoenzymatic Synthesis and All-Aqueous Purification of Trehalose Analogues
Hometown: Portage, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Michigan State University
Taylor Fiolek '17 MS Chemistry
Taylor Fiolek '17 MS Chemistry
Thesis: An Expanded Set of Trehalose Monomycolate-Based Chemical Reporters for Probing Mycoloylation in Live Mycobacteria
Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Michigan State University
Doug Wing '18 MS Chemistry
Doug Wing '18 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Progress Toward the Synthesis of a Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Arabinogalactan Mycolate (AGM) Probe for the Investigation of Mycomembrane Metabolism in Mycobacterium
Hometown: Decatur, IL
Post-CMU: Process Chemist, Eurofins Lancaster
Qing Qing Dong '19 MS Chemistry
Qing Qing Dong '19 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Trehalose-6-Phosphate Analogues
Hometown: Shanghai, China
Post-CMU: Henlius Biotech, Shanghai
Alex Ausmus '19 MS Chemistry
Alex Ausmus '19 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Ferrier Carbocyclization-Enabled Synthesis of Azide-Modified Myo-Inositol Analogues for the Study of Mycobacterial Glycolipids
Hometown: Kaleva, MI
Post-CMU: Graduate school, Pittsburgh University
Kwaku Obeng '21 MS Chemistry
Kwaku Obeng '21 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Chemical Synthesis of Azido and Amino Inositol Analogues as Potential Inhibitors of Mycobacterium
Hometown: Apam-Central Region, Ghana
Post-CMU: Graduate school, University of Maryland
Nicholas Banahene '18 MS Chemistry and '23 PhD BCMB
Nicholas Banahene '18 MS Chemistry and '23 PhD BCMB
Dissertation: Mycomembrane Labeling Probes for Imaging Mycobacteria and Characterizing Protein O-Mycoloylation
Hometown: Twifu Praso, Ghana
Post-CMU: Advisor, Peptide and Bioorganic Chemistry, Eli Lilly and Company
Zigli Abdulai '23 MS Chemistry
Zigli Abdulai '23 MS Chemistry
Thesis: Synthesis of Arabinogalactan Mycolate Analogues for Investigating Cell Envelope Metabolism in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Mafi-Dove, Ghana
Current position: Graduate school, Purdue University
Karishma Kalera '24 PhD BCMB
Karishma Kalera '24 PhD BCMB
Dissertation: Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis Persistence through Inhibition of the Trehalose Catalytic Shift
Hometown: Ajmer, India
Post-CMU: Postdoctoral fellowship, University of Missouri Regional Biocontainment Facility
Priscilla Dzigba '25 PhD BCMB
Priscilla Dzigba '25 PhD BCMB
Dissertation: Immune Targeting of Mycobacteria with Antibody-Recruiting Molecules (co-advisor: Dr. Mallary Wacker)
Hometown: Akyem-Kibi, Ghana
Post-CMU: Program Manager, EchoStar
Kyle Biegas '26 PhD BCMB
Kyle Biegas '26 PhD BCMB
Dissertation: Development and Application of Photoactivatable Chemical Probes to Profile Mycomembrane Lipid–Protein Interactions in Mycobacteria
Hometown: Milford, MI
Post-CMU: Postdoctoral fellowship, University of Chicago
Postdoc and technician alumni
Postdoc and technician alumni
Herbert Kavunja, Ph.D.
Herbert Kavunja, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral fellow, 2015-2018
Project: Chemical probes for studying mycomembrane glycolipids and proteins
Hometown: Nairobi, Kenya
Post-CMU: Chief Scientific Officer, IASO Therapeutics, Inc.
Anne Poston
Anne Poston
Lab technician, 2015-2020
Huzaifa Shafique
Huzaifa Shafique
Lab technician, 2025
Outreach and visiting student alumni
Outreach and visiting student alumni
Isaac Finch. University of Michigan. Visiting Undergraduate Student. Dates: 06/2026-08/2026.
Griffin Shull. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 06/2026-08/2026.
Yohei Omori. Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan. Visiting Graduate Student. Dates: 08/2025-10/2025.
Kodey Nicewicz. Delta College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 06/2025-08/2025.
Quintin Gates. Delta College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 06/2025-08/2025.
Saitali Laharoy. Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, Mumbai, India. Visiting Doctoral Student. Dates: 03/2025.
Hannah Marietta. University of Notre Dame. Visiting Doctoral Student. Dates: 07/2025-08/2025.
Robert Thompson. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 06/2024-08/2024.
Dr. Kanae Sano. Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan. Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar. Dates: 02/2024-03/2024.
Miyura Ayane. Osaka University, Osaka, Japan. Visiting Doctoral Student. Dates: 10/2023-11/2023.
Jeremiah Little. Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 06/2023-08/2023.
Kaitlyn Viaene. Delta College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2019-08/2019.
Hamzah Khan. Delta College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2019-08/2019.
Ashley Huang. Mount Holyoke College. Mount Holyoke College Internship Program. Dates: 05/2018-08/2018.
Belinda Wilson. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2018-08/2018.
Justin Snyder. Montcalm Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2018-08/2018.
Dan Gepford. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2017-08/2017.
Dillon Vannest. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2016-08/2016 and 05/2017-08/2017.
Alicyn Stothard. Delta College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2016-08/2016.
Kailey Zochowski. Chippewa Hills High School. ACS SEED Program. Dates: 06/2015-08/2015 and 06/2016-08/2016.
Irene Lopez-Casillas. Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2015-08/2015.
Abigail Detzler. Mid-Michigan Community College. Community College Summer Research Outreach Program. Dates: 05/2015-08/2015.
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