Kailey Komnick

Graduate Student, Chemistry,
Martell lab,
University of Wisconsin

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 
January 2019 – June 2021

B.S. in Chemistry, and Molecular & Cellular Biology
 University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Alex Bahnick

Graduate Student, Chemistry,
Becker Lab,
Duke University

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 
August 2018-May 2019

B.S. in Integrative Biology, 
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Amanda Cowfer

Current: Senior Scientist at Astra Zeneca

PhD 2023
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 
August 2016-July 2018 

B.S. in Chemistry, and
Molecular & Cellular Biology 
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Olivia Pattelli

Current: Structure Biology Protein Scientist, Sarafan ChEM-H

PhD, Chemical Biology 2021
University of Michigan

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 
August 2014-May 2016

B.S. in Molecular Biology, 
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Adam Sowers

Graduate Student, Chemistry,
Prof. Marcey Waters’ lab

Undergraduate Research Assistant, 
October 2014-May 2016

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Uros Kuzmanovic

Current: Founder & CEO, BioSens8

PhD 2022, Biomedical Engineering,
Boston University

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2011-May 2013

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Jessica White

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2012-May 2013

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Emma Point

Current: Office of Radiation Safety,
University of Chicago

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2014-May 2015

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Maaz Ahmed

Current Position: Associate Director of Innovation, AbbVie

PhD from Shannon Stahl’s lab,
University of Wisconsin, 2016
Postdoc with Ralph Weissleder,
Harvard Medical School

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
February 2010-May 2012

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Matt Frost

Research Scientist, Weiman Products

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
May 2012-May 2013

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Steve Schmid

PhD 2017 University of Wisconsin-Madison

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
September 2010-August 2011

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Hani Kuttab

Current: Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine,
University of Wisconsin

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
February 2010-July 2012

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Arabella Lazar

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
October 2009-July 2011

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Rob DiFazio

Current: Co-Founder, Parallel Bio

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2009-July 2011

B.S in Chemistry, and
Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Megan Cismesia

Current: Process chemistry,
Corteva Agriscience, Indianapolis, IN
NSF Graduate Fellow, Teshik Yoon’s lab, 
University of Wisconsin-Madison, PhD 2015
Postdoctoral Fellow, Melanie Sanford’s lab,
University of Michigan

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
August 2008-May 2010

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Chris Novotny

Current: Merck, San Francisco
PhD from Kevan Shokat’s lab, UCSF, 2016

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
November 2007-May 2010

B.S. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Jason Olejniczak

Investigator, Calibr, PhD, Dept Chemistry & Biochemistry, UCSD, 2016

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2009-May 2010

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Tran “Laurie” Nguyen

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
August 2008-May 2010

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Mirtha Ariza

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
November 2007-May 2009

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Clint Holiday

Founder, B3 HealthCare, Springfield, IL

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
December 2006-May 2009

B.S. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Michael Niziolek

Current: Senior Research Associate, Illumina
Previous: Graduate student, UCSD

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2008-May 2009

B.S. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Emily Billings

Current: Senior Analyst, Gryphon Scientific
PhD, Microbiology, University of Virginia, 2016

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
June 2008-May 2009

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Ellen Dwyer

Genetic Counselor, Hope Children’s Hospital

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
June 2006-May 2008

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Ryan Totten

Current: Senior Scientist, Bayer
Previous: Graduate Student, Northwestern University

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2006-May 2008

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Brittney Allen

Clinical Pharmacist, Surgery Mayo Clinic

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
June 2004-May 2006

B.S. in Chemistry, and
Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Kara Ramsey

Research Scientist, Novartis

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
June 2006-July 2008

B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Peter Phan

University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria
MD, University of Illinois, Chicago

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
April 2005-December 2006

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Katy Stoica

Teacher, Walter Payton College Prep School

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
August 2004-May 2006

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Margaret Wong

Current Position: Site Head and General Manager, Curia

Former: Project Manager, LakePharma
PhD, Laura Kiessling’s Lab,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
May 2003-April 2005

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Valerie (Fako) Miller

Current Position: Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, UIC

Former: Postdoctoral Fellow, NIH/NCI
PhD, Pharmacology, Indiana University, 2014

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
June 2005-December 2006

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

M.S. in Chemistry,
University of Wisconsin

Joshua Byers

Assistant Professor, Laboratory Medicine, UCSF

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
Fall 2001-Fall 2003

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign

Grace Chen

Medical Student, University of Illinois, Chicago

Undergraduate Research Assistant,
January 2004-April 2005

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign