G. Ekin Atilla Gokcumen (Ekin Atilla), J. Solo Assistant Professor of Chemistry

• B.S. Chemistry, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey (2003)
• Ph.D. Chemistry University of Pennsylvania (2008) Advisor: Eric Meggers
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard Medical School/Dana Farber Cancer Institute (2009-2013) Advisor: Ulrike Eggert

ekinatil@buffalo.edu

CURRENT MEMBERS

Laura Parisi (Chemistry Ph.D. candidate), joined November 2014

B.S Chemistry, Rochester Institute of Technology

Research interests: My research focuses on studying the roles of lipids during necroptosis, a form of programmed necrotic cell death. I am currently investigating the roles very long chain fatty acids and ceramides, two classes of lipids which accumulate during necroptosis, using a variety of techniques including mass spectrometry, fluorescence imaging, gene editing/silencing and small molecule-based approaches.

Nita Chavez (Chemistry Ph.D. candidate; joint graduate student with the Aga group, Department of Chemistry, UB), joined November 2014

B.S Chemistry, The College of Wooster

Research interests: My research focuses on understanding the impact of engineering nanomaterials on biological systems and the environment. Currently, I analyze metabolomic changes in Arabidopsis thaliana post-exposure to CuO nanoparticles via high mass resolution mass spectrometry as well as total metal concentration analysis via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Nasi Li (Chemistry Ph.D. candidate), joined November 2014

B.S. Pharmaceutical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology

M.S. Pharmaceutical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology

Research interests: My research is on the functional characterization of lipids during apoptosis. I am particularly interested in how lipid droplet and its lipid components, such as triacylglycerols, are involved in this process.

Alec Millner (Graduate student in Medicinal Chemistry Ph.D program), joined November 2017

B.S. Chemistry and Applied Biological Sciences, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Research Interests: My research is focused on inducing cellular senescence through drug therapy and studying the changes in the lipidome. I am particularly interested in changes in sphingolipids and their involvement in senescence.

Alyssa Aldrich (Graduate student in Chemistry M.S program), joined November 2017

B.S. Biochemistry, State University of New York at Oswego

Research interests: My main research focus is the function lipids play in apoptosis.

Laura Brunelle (Graduate student in Chemistry Ph.D program), joined November 2017

B.S. Biochemistry, Niagara University

Research Interests: My research focuses on the synthesis of ceramides, an important lipid mediators of different cellular fates, via ceramide synthases. I am currently focused on CerS2 and CerS6 and their effects on the lipidome.

LAB ALUMNI

Ph.D. Students:

Dr. Darleny Y. Lizardo (Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry, September 2018); currently a postdoctoral fellow,  at the University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Eryn K. Matich (Ph.D. in Chemistry, September 2018); currently a postdoctoral fellow,  at the University of Arkansas Medical School

M.S. Students:

Isin Tuna Sakallioglu (M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, May 2017); currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nebraska

Laura Morrow (M.S. in Medicinal Chemistry, Conferral, February 2019)

Postdoctoral researcher:

Virginia Del Solar Fernandez (currently postdoctoral researcher in the Neelamegham lab in Chemical and Biological Engineering Department at UB)

Undergraduate researchers:

Emily Chou (undergraduate researcher, Chemistry; will join Purdue University, Health Physics Graduate Program in Fall 2018)

Dorcas Nsumbu (undergraduate researcher, Chemistry)

Luke Izydorczak (undergraduate researcher, Medicinal Chemistry BS/MS)

Ming Zeng (currently associate scientist in Wuxi Apptec)

Jun Hui Yeoh (currently in UB Chemistry Graduate Program)

Ying San Leung, McNair Scholar, (Graduated 2016)

Mike Olyer (REU student, 2015)

Kasey Morrow (REU student, 2014)

Chris Brais  (currently in UB Chemistry Graduate Program)