Alumni – Former Graduate Students

Former PhD Students
Class of 2017

Dr. Lindsay Chatkewitz

Senior Scientist,
Arrakis Therapeutics

B.S. in Chemistry,
The College of William and Mary
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana
March 2022

Dr. Emily J. Tonogai

Senior Scientist,
Revolution Medicines

B.S. in Chemistry,
Carleton College
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana
July 2022

Dr. Kristen Muñoz

Patent Agent,
Morrison Foerster

B.A. in Chemistry and Spanish,
Claremont McKenna College
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana
May 2023

Kristen Munoz

Class of 2016

Dr. Matthew W. Boudreau

NCI K00 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Prof. William Kaelin’s Laboratory
Dana-Farber Cancer Center/Harvard Medical School

B.S. in Chemistry,
North Carolina State University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
February 2022

Dr. Martin Garcia Chavez

Medicinal Chemist, Abbvie

B.S. in Chemistry,
Machester University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
June 2021

Dr. Emily Geddes

Senior Scientist,
Microbiotix

B.S. in Chemistry,
Truman State University
Ph.D. Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
March 2022

Dr. Aya Matsunaga Kelly

Senior Scientist,
BMS

B.S. in Chemical Biology,
Eckerd College
Ph.D. Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
March 2022

Class of 2015

Dr. Riley Svec

Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry,
Janssen Pharmaceuticals

B.S. in Chemistry, 
University of Iowa
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
March 2020

Class of 2014

Dr. Sarah Perlmutter

Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Abbvie

B.A. in Chemistry,
Smith College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2020

Class of 2013

Dr. Alfredo Garcia

B.S. in Chemistry & Biochemistry,
University of Iowa
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
February 2019

Dr. Evijola Llabani

B.S. in Chemistry & Biology
St. John’s University
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2018

Class of 2012

Dr. Bryon Drown

Current: Assistant Professor,
Purdue University

Previous: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Neil Kelleher’s lab,
Northwestern University

B.S. in Chemistry,
Wheaton College
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2018

Class of 2011

Dr. Jessie Peh

Current: Senior Scientist, BigHat Biosciences
Previous: NIH Postdoctoral Fellow,
Carolyn Bertozzi’s lab,
Stanford University

B.S. in Chemistry,
National University of Singapore
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2017

Dr. Michelle Richter

Current: Principal Research Scientist
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Previous: Hanna H. Gray Postdoctoral Fellow,
David Liu’s Lab,
Harvard University

B.S. in Biochemistry,
Union College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2017

Class of 2010

Dr. Robert Hicklin

Current: Senior Scientist II, Medicinal Chemistry Lead, Scorpion Therapeutics
Previous: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Tim Jamison’s lab, MIT

B.S. in Chemistry,
University of Central Missouri
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2015

Dr. Michael Lambrecht

B.S. in Chemistry & Biochemistry,
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2016

Dr. Elizabeth Parkinson

Current: Assistant Professor, Purdue University
Previous: NIH Postdoctoral Fellow,
Bill Metcalf’s lab, UIUC

B.S. in Chemistry,
Rhodes College
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
September 2015

Class of 2009

Dr. Rachel Botham

Current: Senior Scientist, BioMap
Previous: American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow,
Jeff Kelly’s lab, Scripps Research Institute

B.S. in Chemistry
& Biological Sciences,
University of Pittsburgh
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2016

Dr. Howard Roth

Current: Senior Scientist, Ashvattha Therapeutics
Previous: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Jon Ellman’s lab, Yale University

B.S. in Chemistry,
Northwestern University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2015

Dr. Emilia Calvaresi

MD program, University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana

B.S. in Biochemistry & Cell Biology,
and B.A. in English, Rice University
Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
July 2014

Class of 2008

Dr. Karen Morrison

Acting Chief Deputy Director, 
CA Department of Pesticide Regulation

B.S. in Chemistry,
Harvey Mudd College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2013

Dr. Claire Knezevic

Current: Assistant Professor,
Clinical Chemistry, 
Johns Hopkins University 
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate,
Uwe Rix’s & Eric Haura’s Labs,
Moffitt Cancer Institute

B.A. in Chemistry,
Scripps College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
June 2014

Class of 2007

Dr. Julia Williams van Rensburg

Previous: Postdoctoral Fellow,
Stanley Spinola’s lab,
Indiana University School of Medicine

B.S. in Microbiology,
University of Idaho
Ph.D. in Microbiology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2013

Class of 2006

Dr. Joseph Bair

B.S. in ChemistryM.S. in Organic Chemistry,
Brigham Young University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2011

Dr. Quinn Peterson

Current: Assistant Professor, Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine
Previous: JDFR Postdoctoral Fellow, Douglas Metlon’s lab, Harvard University

B.S. in Biochemistry,
Brigham Young University
Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
July 2011

Dr. Tim Flood

Current: Director of Immunology Competitive Intelligence at Bristol-Myers Squibb
Previous: Senior Consultant at Deallus

B.A. in Chemistry,
Cornell University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2012

Class of 2005

Dr. Kristin Finch

Associate Chief Diversity Officer, Inclusive Excellence, Gonzaga University

B.S. in Chemistry,
Hampton University
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
April 2011

Dr. Diana West

B.S. in Chemistry,
College of William and Mary
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
June 2011

Dr. Rahul Palchaudhuri

Current: Executive Director, Tessera Therapeutics
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate,
David Scadden’s lab,
Harvard Stem Cell Institute

B.A. in Chemistry, Grinnell College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemstry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
June 2011

Class of 2004

Dr. Mirth Hoyt

Senior Lead Business Systems Analyst II, Ecolab

B.S. in Chemistry,
College of William and Mary
Ph.D. in Organic Chemsitry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
February 2010

Dr. James Heeres

B.S. Biochemistry,
University of Maryland
Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2010

Dr. Elizabeth Moritz Halvorsen

Current: Director of Translational Biology, Seres Therapeutics 
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate,
Darren Higgins’ lab, Harvard Medical School

B.S. in Microbial Biotechnology,
Rutgers University
Ph.D. in Microbiology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
June 2010

Dr. Nora Wang Eibergen

Current: Senior Scientist,
Nalco Water division of Ecolab
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate,
Helen Blackwell’s lab, University of Wisconsin

B.S. in Math & Chemistry,
University of Alabama, Birmingham
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
January 2011

Class of 2003

Dr. Christina Thompson

Associate Professor of Instruction, University of Texas, Dallas

B.S. in Chemistry,
Texas A&M University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2008

Dr. Amanda Nottbohm

Clinical Research Development, Boehringer Ingelheim

B.S. in Chemistry,
Albion College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
July 2008

Dr. Robin Dothager

Current: Process Development Scientist, Patheon/ThermoFisher 
Previous: American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow,
David Piwnica-Worms’ lab, Washington University in St. Louis

B.A. in Chemistry,
Southern Illinois University
Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2008

Dr. Ben Leslie

B.A. in Chemistry,
Colgate University
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
January 2009

Dr. Todd Meyer

Current: Associate Director of Chemistry, Boundless Bio
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate,
Sergey Kozmin’s lab, University of Chicago

B.S. in Chemistry,
Haverford College
Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2009

Class of 2002

Dr. David Goode

Associate Professor of Chemistry,
Mercer University

B.S. in Chemistry,
Mercer University
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2007

Dr. Karson Putt

Managing Director, Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University

B.S. in Biology,
Purdue University
Ph.D. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2006

Dr. Jason Thomas

Current: Senior Scientist,
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Previous: Postdoctoral Associate, Ben Cravatt’s lab,
The Scripps Research Institute

B.S. in Biophysics,
Temple University
Ph.D. in Biophysics,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
July 2007

Class of 2001

Dr. Dinty J. Musk, Jr.

Professor of Chemistry, Skagit Valley College

B.A. in Biochemistry,
Taylor University
Ph.D. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2006

Dr. Vitaliy Nesterenko

Assistant Professor of Chemistry,
Kyiv-Mohila Academy
National Technical University of Ukraine

Ph.D. in Organic Chemsitry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2006


Former MS Students
Class of 2019

Adam Sawyer

Senior Chemist 1, Jordi Labs

B.S. in Chemistry,
Augsburg University 
M.S. in Chemical Biology
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2021

Class of 2018

Rachel Farmer

B.S. in Chemistry and Biophysics,
University of Southern Indiana
M.S. in Organic Chemistry
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2020

Class of 2014

Joshua Francis

B.S. in Chemistry & Human Biology
Michigan State University
M.S. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2017

Woojin ‘Vincent’ Yang

B.A. in Chemistry,
Northwestern University
M.S. in Organic Chemistry, 
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
May 2016

Class of 2013

Bradley Nakamura

B.S. in Chemistry,
Xavier University
M.S. in Organic Chemistry, 
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2015

Class of 2010

Amy (Larson) Freeman

B.S. in Chemistry,
Wheaton College
M.S. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
April 2013

Class of 2008

Aaron Knowlton

Scientist, Technical Services, Eli Lily

B.S. in Biochemistry,
Brigham Young Unversity
M.S. in Biochemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
July 2012

Class of 2006

Manuel Rodriguez

Associate Professor, Parkland College

B.A. in Chemistry,
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Diedras
M.S. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
November 2008

Class of 2002

Cathy Brumond

Synthetic Chemist, Baxter Healthcare

B.A. in Chemistry, Lake Forest College
M.S. in Organic Chemistry,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2004

Johna C.B. DeNap

Supervisor of Toxicology,
Delaware Medical Examiner’s Office

B.S. in Chemistry,
Butler University
M.S. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
December 2004

Class of 2001

Eric Olson

Patent Examiner, Alexandria, VA

B.S. in Chemistry,
Princeton University
M.S. in Chemical Biology,
University of Illinois,
Champaign-Urbana,
August 2005