Enver Cagri Izgu (Enver Çağrı İzgü)
Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University – New Brunswick, USA
Full Member of Cancer Pharmacology Program, Cancer Institute of New Jersey
Faculty Member of Center for Lipid Research, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Postdoc, Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital, USA
Research: Replication of genetic information, Systems chemistry of protocells
Advisor: Dr. Jack W. Szostak
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, USA
Research: Total synthesis of alkaloids, synthetic method development, NMR spectroscopy
Advisor: Dr. Thomas R. Hoye
B.Sc., Middle East Technical University (METU), Turkiye
Research: Asymmetric Catalysis
Advisor: Dr. Ozdemir Dogan
Honors and Awards
Maximizing Investigators' Research Award, NIH – National Institute of General Medical Sciences
Interstellar Initiative Awardee, The New York Academy of Sciences and Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Trailblazer Award, NIH – National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
Institutional Research Grant Early Investigator Award, American Cancer Society
Charles and Johanna Busch Biomedical Grant Award, Rutgers University
Arthur Klorfein Scholarship, Marine Biological Laboratory
Highest Distinction, Ranked #1 in Chemistry, METU
Young Scientist Award (National Scholarship Program), The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye
Dorsa Ebrahimi
Graduate Student
M.Sc., Alzahra University
B.Sc., Kharazmi University
Functional Nucleic Acids Systems
Molecular Probes
Synthetic Biology
Dorsa earned her B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry from Kharazmi University and M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from Alzahra University in Tehran, Iran. Under the guidance of Dr. Ghodsi Mohammadi Ziarani, she delved into the intricate realm of multicomponent reactions, integrating organic compounds into synthetic methodologies to create advanced catalysts and precision-engineered chemosensors.
Melih Baci
Graduate Student
Surface Functionalization, Biomaterials
Microbiology
Functional Small Molecules
M.Sc., Texas A & M University
B.Sc., Bilkent University
Melih obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Bilkent University, Turkiye. In his first year of undergrad education, he successfully competed in the International Chemistry Olympiad in London. He then moved to Texas A&M University and earned his Master's degree by studying metal-organic frameworks for capture and degradation of organic pollutants.
Sarah Cho
Graduate Student
M.Sc., Montclair State University
B.Sc., Montclair State University
Molecular and cellular biology
Biosensors
Sarah graduated from Montclair State University with both her Bachelor's and Master's in chemistry focused in biochemistry. She has a strong background in enzymology and hopes to eventually become a professor of biochemistry to help students better understand the complexities of anatomical systems on a molecular level. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys traveling, cooking, and avoiding heights at all costs.
Liming Wang
Graduate Student
Designer bio(macro)molecules
Artificial cells
Functional small molecules
B.Sc., Peking University
Liming received his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Peking University. During his undergraduate studies, he worked on allosteric inhibitor development and gained major skills in organic synthesis and in vitro enzyme kinetics.
Marquel Joshua Dresel
Graduate Student
B.Sc., University of Minnesota
Functional small molecules
Biosensors
Mark Graduated with his B.Sc in chemistry from the University of Minnesota. There he worked towards the development of lanthanide-based anion sensors and phosphorescent probes. He is a long way from growing up on a cattle ranch competing in rodeos to using all the stir plates in the lab. He has only three fears: excel graphs, poor column resolution, the oxford comma and counting.
Monique Robinson
Undergraduate Student
Chemistry – biotechnology interface
Mechanical Engineering
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Monique is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering in the Rutgers School of Engineering. In addition to her interest in Nanotechnology, she has been inspired to work in Izgu Lab by a deep love for mixing Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering. In her free time, she likes to jam out to music, build models, and take naps.
Serena Yee
Undergraduate Student
Small-molecule modulators of signaling
Chemistry – biotechnology interface
Biotechnology and Microbiology
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Supported through the Women in Science and Engineering Program.
Serena is starting her Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and Microbiology at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She joined our team as a project SUPER student to learn about scientific research in STEM. Her academic goal is to pursue a Master's degree in Genetics. Her favorite is baking.
Ibraheem Akhtar
Undergraduate Student
Neuroscience
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Functional Small Molecules
Ibraheem is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Cell Biology and Neuroscience at the School of Arts and Sciences. He has a keen interest in Chemical Biology as well as Organic Chemistry. He will be working with us to fulfill his desire of gaining research experience. His hobbies and interests include sports, traveling and hanging out with friends.
Anuva Joshi
Undergraduate Student
Biotechnology
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Small-molecule modulators of signaling
Chemistry – biotechnology interface
Supported through the Women in Science and Engineering Program.
Anuva is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology in the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She will be working with us as a project SUPER student aiming to gain experience in scientific research. Anuva has a long-term interest in clinical research and advancing the treatment of genetic diseases. She enjoys painting and backpacking.
Shuvon Islam
Undergraduate Student
Pharmacy
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Designer functional nucleic acids
Functional small molecules
Shuvon is currently an undergraduate student in the 6-year PharmD program of Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, with future plans in clinical pharmacy and specializing in infectious disease. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and playing badminton. He is also both a US and Bangladesh dual-citizen. While he tends to say he is not afraid of adapting to change or trying new things, and he does encourage exploring the unknown, he does have a fear of the deep ocean.
Bridget Broncales
Undergraduate Student
Small-molecule modulators of signaling
Lipids of biological and non-biological nature
Pharmacy
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Bridget is a pre-professional pharmacy student at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy who is fascinated by organic and medicinal chemistry. She will be working here and wants to learn how to regulate and synthesize macromolecules and small molecules. Despite her name, she does not like to walk across bridges. Outside the lab, Bridget enjoys fitness, music, and philosophy.
Alumni
Postdoctoral Fellows
Zhaojun (John) Jia
(2019–2021)
Ph.D., Peking University
Rhia Stone
(2020–2022)
Ph.D., The University of Queensland
Huseyin Erguven
(2020–2022)
Ph.D., McGill University
Graduate Students
Ruchi Yadav
(2018–2019)
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
Bryan Gutierrez
(2017–2023)
B.Sc., Pacific Lutheran
University
Kern Hast
(2019–2023)
B.E., University of Florida
Tushar Aggarwal
(2017–2023)
M.Sc., IIT, Bombay
Undergraduate Students
Thaybeth I. Malavé Méndez
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2018)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Dylan Schroeder
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
Jiayu Zhang
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rutgers
Kyle White
(2018–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
Emmanuel F. Rivera Iglesias
(RISE Fellow, Summer 2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Bhavya Shah
(2017–2019)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
George Guanga
(2019–2020)
B.Sc., Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers
Camden De Sanctis
(2021)
B.Sc., Biological Sciences
Rutgers
Sammy Hansali
(2022)
B.Sc., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rutgers
Jonathan Hong
(2019–2021)
B.Sc., Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers
Tian You
(2018–2019)
B.Sc., Chemistry
Jilin University, China
Caitlin Yeung
(2020–2022)
B.Sc., Biochemistry
Rutgers
David Dejoz
(2022–2023)
B.Sc., Chemistry
University of Valencia
Hakan Guven
(2022–2023)
B.Sc., Chemistry, Rutgers
Zayna Bajwa
(2022–2023)
B.Sc., Environmental & Biological Sciences, Rutgers
Haia Mohsen
(2023)
B.Sc., Molecular & Cellular Biology, UC Berkeley
Aditya Sivakumar
(2023–2024)
B.Sc., Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Rutgers
High School Students
Anton Krotenok
(Summer 2018)
Woodbridge Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences
ACS Project SEED
Muhammad Sharaf
(Summer 2019)
Edison High School
ACS Project SEED
Mei Kim
(Summer 2022)
Edison High School
ACS Project SEED
Aisha Mansoor
(Summer 2019)
Franklin High School
ACS Project SEED
Naiya Bharvard
(Summer 2023)
The Lawrenceville School
ACS Project SEED
Mahazabin Akther
(Summer 2023)
Piscataway High School
ACS Project SEED
Oscar Wong
(Summer 2023)
Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School High School
ACS Project SEED
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