
Group Members

Postdoctoral researcher
Yaniv Shlosberg
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Hometown: Kfar-Saba, Israel
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Education:
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Postdoc: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry dept.)
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Ph.D: Technion – Israel institute of technology (Energy dept.)
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M.Sc: Technion – Israel institute of technology (Chemistry dept.)
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B.Sc: Bar–Ilan University(Chemistry dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: NADH.
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Brief Bio: In my free time I like Capoeira, Samba, Yoga, and Afro-Brazilian dance.
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email: yaniv@ucsb.edu

Postdoctoral researcher
Shivshankar R. Mane
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Hometown: Latur, India
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Education:
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Postdoc: University of Delaware, Newark
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Postdoc: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
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Postdoc: Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
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Ph.D: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, India
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M.Sc: Dr. B. A. M. University Aurangabad, India (Chemistry Department)
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B.Sc: Dr. B. A. M. University Aurangabad, India
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Favorite Molecule: Norborene.
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Brief Bio: In my free time I like to listen to music and play cricket. I also spend plenty of time reading.
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email: srmane@ucsb.edu
Postdoctoral Researchers
Graduate Researchers

Graduate researcher
Emile Morin
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Hometown: Paris, France
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Education: B.S in Chemistry at Emory University (2022)
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Favorite Molecule: Glutamic Acid (Umami)
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Brief Bio: While you will usually find me in the lab listening to EDM music, in my free time I enjoy experimenting with cuisine and brewing kombucha. Otherwise, I spend my time reading science fiction novels, and playing a variety of board, video, and card games, such as Magic the Gathering. I also have a grey cat named Feta who is very cute, but not the brightest.
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email: emilemorin@ucsb.edu

Graduate researcher
Kyle Brown
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Hometown: Oktaha, Oklahoma
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Education: Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma
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Favorite Molecule: Aerobactin
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Brief Bio: In my free time I enjoy baking breads and cooking, strategy games, and old Japanese monster movies. I’m also a big fan of pugs, so please introduce me if you have one.
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email: ktbrown@ucsb.edu
Undergraduate Researchers

Undergraduate Researcher
Matthew C. Smith
Hometown: San Diego, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Physics Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: banana borane (9-BBN)
Brief Bio: In my free time I love exploring math puzzles, programming games, and learning about aviation. I also enjoy swimming, skiing, hiking, and teaching others. Some of my favorite classes to tutor are Linear Algebra and Calculus.
email: matthewcsmith@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Erica Barandica
Hometown: San Jose, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: capsaicin
Brief Bio: I'm a third-year Undergraduate interested in Materials Science and biotechnology. My free time is spent drinking yerba mate and listening to all kinds of music.
email: ericabarandica@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Lab Manager
Sam Garcia
Hometown: Fresno, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara
Favorite Molecule: rubisco
Brief Bio: In my free time I like to watch movies, listen to music, and play guitar. I also spend plenty of time cooking and reading.
email: samuelgarcia@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Andrew Johnson
Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara
Favorite Molecule: methyl salicylate
Brief Bio: My favorite sports are swimming and frisbee. A hobby I have recently picked up is reading manga by recommendation from friends.
email: a_johnson663@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Sean Hwang
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Pharmacology Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: adrenaline
Brief Bio: I like to play video games in my free time. I play Valorant and League of Legends. In addition, I like to take naps!
email: sunghyun_hwang@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Lauren Madan
Hometown: Castro Valley, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Pharmacology Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: hyaluronic acid
Brief Bio: I love cosmetic science, I’m an officer of UCSB’s Society of Cosmetic Chemists and I am an ambassador for the skincare brand Starface!
email: lmadan@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Aurora de Tagyos
Hometown: San Diego, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Biochemistry Dept., College of Creative Studies)
Favorite Molecule: any DASA photoswitch
Brief Bio: I enjoy hiking, photography, and cross stitching in my free time. I also study a minor in German and would like to be fluent someday.
email: auroradetagyos@chem.ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Nathan Nasseri
Hometown: San Diego, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (MCDB Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: beta-alanine
Brief Bio: In my free time I enjoy being active. I love being outdoors, discovering new music, and reading a good book (and yes I’m taking any and all recommendations).
email: nsnasseri@umail.ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Christian Teixeira
Hometown: Fillmore, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: dopamine
Brief Bio: I enjoy cooking, finding new music and working out. I am an active person and love watching sports with family and friends.
email: cteixeira@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Esteban Ortiz
Hometown: West Covina, California
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (MCDB Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: penicillin G
Brief Bio: I am currently a third year undergraduate student. I enjoy traveling, playing soccer, watching movies and jamming out on my guitar.
email: estebanortiz@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Haoxiang Chang
Hometown: Yinchuan, China
Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry and Electrical Engineering Dept.)
Favorite Molecule: Water
Brief Bio: I love visiting different parts of this world. When at home, I enjoy reading, cooking, and chatting.
email: h_chang@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Miranda Luzanilla-Zetina
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Hometown: Long Beach, California
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Department)
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Favorite Molecule: caffeine
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Brief Bio: Outside of class I love reading, watching movies, and drawing! I could talk about Marvel, horror movies, and sci-fi for hours.
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email: mluzanilla-zetina@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Kimi Rubino
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Hometown: Irvine, California
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara
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Favorite Molecule: penguinone
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Brief Bio: In my free time I enjoy playing soccer, reading, and baking. I’m always down for taking a walk on the beach and watching the sunset.
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Email: krubino@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Lucas Ruggeri
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Hometown: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
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Undergraduate Education: University of California Santa Barbara (Biochemistry and molecular biology dept).
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Favorite Molecule: Lactose.
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Brief Bio: I am a third year undergraduate student who enjoys exercising with my friends and playing sports. I love playing/listening to music as well as traveling as much as I possibly can!
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email: lucasruggeri@ucsb.edu

Undergraduate Researcher
Yihan Lin
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Hometown: Beijing, China
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: Tetrahedral carbon
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Brief Bio: I am a second-year undergraduate interested in material science and biochemistry. In my free time, I enjoy watching short video, reading novels, and listening to music, and I will also do some exercise.
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email: yihanlin@ucsb.edu
Undergraduate Researcher

Hang Shi
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Hometown: Beijing, China
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: DTT
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Brief Bio: I am a second-year undergraduate student who is interested in biochemistry. In my free time, I enjoy to photography, watching concerts, listening to music, and hanging with my dog.
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email: hangshi@ucsb.edu
Undergraduate Researcher

Natasha Cao
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Hometown: Antioch, Ca
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (MCDB Dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: petrolatum
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Brief Bio: I like staying active in my free time and trying new skincare!
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email: natashacao@ucsb.edu
Undergraduate Researcher

Ian Maskiewicz
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Hometown: Redlands, Ca
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: N-methyl-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-2-amine
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Brief Bio: I like skateboarding and making manganese heptoxide. I also love hiking in Los Padres National Forest!
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email: ianmaskiewicz@ucsb.edu
Website Manager
Website Manager and Undergraduate Researcher

Ben Krey
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Hometown: Lafayette, California
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Undergraduate Education: University of California, Santa Barbara (Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept.)
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Favorite Molecule: Chromyl chloride
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Brief Bio: I am a third year undergraduate interested in pharmaceutical chemistry. In my free time I am a member of the powerlifting team at UCSB and I'm learning how to code in Python.
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email: bkrey@ucsb.edu