Current Members
Postdoctoral Researchers
Daniel Duzdevich
dduzdevich AT uchicago
Assistant Research Professor
Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University
2023-4 Academic Year: Marie Curie Fellow of the EU, Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies
Research: RNA as a model of proto-genetic information, and experimental astrobiology
Ben Colville
colville AT uchicago
Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University College London
Research: The origins of protocellular systems, alternate genetic polymers and prebiotic chemistry
Filip Bošković
filipboskovic AT uchicago
EMBO Long-Term Fellow
Ph.D., Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
Research: Research: the primordial transport systems, evolution of chimeric ribozymes
Collin Nisler
cnisler AT uchicago
Ph.D., Biophysics, The Ohio State University
Research: Model protocell membrane dynamics, stability, and permeability; ribozyme structure, dynamics, and evolution
Aman Agrawal
amanagrawal AT uchicago
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Houston
Research: Role of interacting and non-interacting polymers in non-enzymatic RNA replication, polymer protocells, and RNA phase-separation
Jian Zhang
zhangj2 AT uchicago
Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology
Research: Prebiotic in-situ phosphate activation chemistry, and functional RNA assembly
Andy Li
ayzli AT uchicago
Ph.D., Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge
Research: Gaining mechanistic insights into the replication dynamics of model protocells through advanced microscopy and chemical manipulations
Graduate Students
Yanfeng Xing
yanfengx AT uchicago
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Chicago
B.S., Biology, Tsinghua University
Research: Non-enzymatic RNA replication and non canonical alphabet
Anmol Mishra
anmolmishra AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.Sc. – Ramjas College, University of Delhi
M.Sc. – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Research: Amino acids in RNA world
Nafi Khan
khan789 AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S., Biochemistry-Molecular Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara
Research: Origin of Life, Non-enzymatic RNA replication, Protocells
Diprupa Saha
diprupasaha AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
Integrated M.Sc., Chemistry and Computer Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research
Research: Origin of cellular life
Jahmyl Essex
jessex AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S. Biochemistry, California State University, Los Angeles
Research: Non-enzymatic RNA replication and the origins of life
Rio Ondo
rlondo AT uchicago
Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
B.S. Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara
Research: Prebiotic Proofreading
Co-advised with Arvind Murugan
Alex Akhundov
alexakhundov AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
H.B.Sc. Chemistry, York University
Research: Systems of genetic information encoding; alternative genetic polymers; role of ribozymes and amino acids in the prebiotic world
Ruohe (Brian) Wang
ruohe AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S. in Chemistry and Computer Science, Emory University
Research: Nonenzymatic RNA Primer Extension; Electronic Structure Theory
Co-advised with Laura Gagliardi
Ruby Wen
rwen AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S. Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
Co-advised with Arvind Murugan
Orhan Acikgoz
oacikgoz AT uchicago
Chemistry, University of Chicago
B.S. Chemistry, William and Mary College
Research: Kinetics of non-enzymatic primer extension
Caroline Kaminsky
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Program, University of Chicago
Staff
Diana Ljumovic
dljumovic AT uchicago
Lab Manager
B.A. Economics
M.B.A. Human Resources Management
Jamie Zhao
jamiez AT uchicago
Research Technician
A.B. Biological Sciences, The University of Chicago
Research: Single Cell Sequencing of Protocells, Single protocell capture
Website Czar
Undergraduate Students
Michael Bolgov, Class of 2027
Arthur Costa, Class of 2027