Lab members have come from chemistry, biology, physics, and engineering, and included undergrad and grad students, post-docs, and staff. Research projects range from chemical analysis, instrument development for life detection, bacterial growth in Mars regolith, to identifying potential biomarkers on Mars and in extreme environments.

If you are interested in joining, please take a look at the current research projects and see what interests you. Feel free to contact Prof. Kounaves to find out about open positions. Prerequisites for Chem majors: Quantitative Analysis (Chem 42), and junior/senior class standing. A two-semester commitment is required.


Group Members (9/2023)

Kounaves  

Prof. Sam Kounaves
Principal Investigator & Professor of Chemistry



NNaz  

Dr. Neveda Naz
Visiting Scholar
PhD 2015, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

 

Bernadette

Bernadette Dineen
Graduate Research Assistant
BS 2018, Mass College of Liberal Arts

Megan

Megan Farrah
Graduate Research Assistant
BS 2022, Wellesley College

Emma

Emma Smith
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Tufts University (BS 2025)

Madeline

Madeline Walters
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Tufts University (BS 2025)

Rachel Taylor
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Tufts University (BS 2025)

Alex Terwogt
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Tufts University (BS 2024)


Group Alumni

Graduate Students

Dongyu Liu Dongyu Liu
Postdoctoral Scholar 2020-21
PhD 2020
(Changzhou Pharmaceutical)

Elizabeth Jaramillo (Oberlin)
PhD 2018
(NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory
)

Miles Clark

Miles Clark
MS 2017
(Vertex Pharmaceuticals)

Robert Bolhofner
MS 2017
(Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories)

.

Andrew Weber
MS 2016
(Giner, Inc.)

Brandi Carrier
PhD 2015
(NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory)


Glen O'Neil
PhD 2013
(Montclair State University)



Kyle McElhoney
PhD 2013
(Aurora University)



Kaitlyn Folds
MS 2013
(Energy Fitness and Gymnastics
)

Victoria Hansen
MS 2013
(General Electric Global
Research Center)

Shannon Stroble
PhD 2011
(Franklin Pierce University)

Jody Maisano
MS 2010
(U. S. Coast Guard)
Trish Hredzak
MS 2010
(Carnegie Mellon University)
Jason Kapit
MSME 2009
(Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute)
Po-Chang Hsu
MS 2008
(Psychiatry Neuroimaging Lab, Harvard BWH)
Brian Comeau
PhD 2008
(Acushnet Company)
Casey Cable
MS 2007
(VCU Health)
Melanie Blake
MS 2006
(Koch Industries)
Stefan Lukow
PhD 2005
(Morpho Detection, Inc.)
John Birtles
PhD 2004
(Perkin Elmer)
Sandie Tan
PhD 2003
(
AgaMatrix Inc.)
Rebecca Noll
MS 2002
(
Cubist Pharmaceuticals)
Rosemary Feeney
PhD 2002
(
Meridian Bioscience)
Vlad Tarasov
MS 2001
(
ULVAC Technologies)
JHerdan Janet Herdan
MS 2001
(
Thermo Fisher Scientific)
MNolan Melissa Nolan
PhD 1999
(
Dupont - CSE Division)
BWorkie Bizuneh Workie
PhD 1996
(
Delaware State University)
Wen Deng
PhD 1995
(
Lipocine Inc.)
Pamela R. Hallock
MS 1995
(
Northern Essex Community College)
TimLiu Tim Zhaohui Liu
PhD 1994
(
Applied Biosystems)
Christopher Dube
MS 1993
(
Draper Laboratory)
David Lu
MS 1993
(
General Applied Technologies Corp.)


Visiting Scientists, Staff, & Postdocs

  • Dr. Michael Hecht (Visiting Scienist, 2011-12) - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Prof. Nikos Chaniotakis (Visiting Professor, 2010-12) - University of Crete, Greece
  • Kalina Gospodinova (Research Technician, 2006-09) - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
  • Dr. Suzanne M. M. Young (Postdoc Res. Assoc., 2005-08)
  • Prof. Oksana Nadzhafova (Visiting Scienist, 2000) - Taras Shevchenko Univ.
  • Prof. Levent Aksu (Visiting Scientist, 1994-95) - Gazi University, Turky


Undergraduate/Post Baccalaureate Students

  • Bijan Harandi, Laidlaw Scholar 2021-23
  • Jacob Newmark, Summer Scholar 2022-23
  • Allison Brea, UG RA 2021-22
  • Clare Utz, UG RA 2021-22
  • Alex Walter, UG RA 2021-22
  • Lillian Dennis, UG RA 2019-20
  • Vedant Kothari, UG RA 2019-20
  • Jessica Dabrowski, UG RA 2016-17
  • Jingcheng Huang, UG RA 2016-17
  • Adam Hildebrand, UG RA 2015-16
  • Phillip Weiner, UG RA Spring 2015
  • Adam Jacob, UG RA Summer 2014
  • Torsten Johnson, UG RA Summer 2014
  • Stacey Berkowitz, Summer Scholar 2013
  • Ian Grant, UG RA Summer 2011
  • Max Zhukovsky, UG RA Summer 2011
  • Leonard Ashu, UG RA 2010-11
  • Patric Gibbons, UG RA 2010-11
  • Kevan Mamdouhi, UG RA 2010-11
  • Andrew Morgenthaler, UG RA 2010-11
  • Justin Wage, UG RA 2008-10
  • Rachel Anderson, UG RA 2009-10
  • Quincy Moore, UG RA 2009-10
  • Jen Shusterman, UG RA 2009-10
  • Shivani Sheopory, UG RA 2007
  • Greg Wilbur, UG RA Summer 2007
  • Ivor Asztalos, UG RA Summer 2006
  • Matthew Christie, UG RA 2006
  • Russell Sargent - UG RA 2004-06
  • Steve Fature - UG RA Summer 2006
  • Sara Buzak - UG RA, 2005-06
  • Peter Sambatakos - UG RA, Summer 2005
  • Jacqueline Haker - UG RA, Summer 2004
  • Emily Coombs - RA, Fall 2004
  • Scott Wilbur - UG RA, Summer 2004
  • Eva Longo - RA, Spring 2004
  • Jessica Gauthier - UG RA, 2003-04
  • Graham Griffin - UG RA, 2003-04
  • Sudarat Infahsaeng-UGRA, 2003-04
  • Rayna R. Kodama - UG RA, 2003-04
  • Kevin Lewis - UG RA, 2002-03
  • Amelia L. Botsford - UG RA, 02-03
  • Katie Nordstrom - UG RA, 2002
  • Adam Biacchi - UG RA, 2002-03
  • Sonia Taktak - RA, Fall 2001
  • Stefanos K. Intzes - UG RA, 99-00
  • Emily M. White - UG RA, 96-97
  • David Guiliano - REU Summer 1994
  • Nicole Damour - REU Summer 1993
  • Garrett Forbes -  UG RA,,91-92
  • Christine Jaworek -  UG RA, 91-92
  • Cyrus Rangan -  UG RA, 89-90
  • Doug Michaud -  UG RA, 89-90
  • David Pelham -  UG RA, 88-90




Last Updated: 01/29/2023

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