People

Principal Investigator

Carl Denard, PhD
Post-Doc, Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin
PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
BS. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University
cdenard_at_ufl.edu

Graduate Students

Sam Martinusen
Samantha (Sam) Martinusen obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Alabama. During her time at Alabama, Sam was incredibly involved with her department, serving as a tutor and a department liaison and as a University and Honors College ambassador. In the Denard Lab, Sam is building a yeast-based discovery platform – HARP (High-throughput Activity screen for the functional Reprogramming of Proteases) – for isolating and characterizing protein-based protease inhibitors. Outside of the lab, Sam likes to participate in endurance sports such as triathlons and long-distance running. When she is not running about, Sam enjoys movie nights with her friends and dog-sitting for members of her swim team.

Luis Eduardo Lopez de la Maza
Luis obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Technological University of Havana, Cuba. During his UG, he studied heuristic optimization of alcoholic fermentation in rum distilleries. In July 2024, he received the SHPE PhD Scholarship. In the Denard Lab, Luis is involved in a collaborative project to develop fundamental knowledge about new mechanisms for globular protein vesicle functionalization and programming. Outside of the lab, Luis likes to read and play soccer.

Sage Nelson
Sage Nelson obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Colorado Boulder. During her UG, Sage studied surface chemistry in the Medlin Lab, experimental electronics in the Whiting Lab, and the innate immune response in the Hind Lab. In the Denard Lab, Sage’s research focuses on the selective reprogramming of proteases for therapeutic applications. Outside of the lab, Sage likes to go to the beach, run/walk in extreme heat, and hang out with animals.

Raymond Pho
Raymond obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Biochemical Engineering from UMass Amherst in 2023. As a member of the You lab, his undergraduate research focused on designing RNA-based sensors for small molecules. Now, in the Denard lab, Raymond is focused on developing novel approaches for degrading protein aggregation in the context of human disease. Outside of the lab, he likes to play basketball, cook and try new foods.

Lawton Long
Lawton received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Irvine. He is a chemical engineering PhD candidate at the University of Florida. His work involves studying the signal recognition particle, a protein complex associated with various human diseases. Lawton has a lot of hobbies outside of work, including fishing, model aviation, and chemistry.

Seyednima (Nima) Ajayebi
Nima graduated from the University of Tehran with a degree in Chemical Engineering in 2019. He spent three years at a food biotechnology startup, focusing on improving algal protein production yields and bioreactor design. After moving to Florida, Nima completed his MSc at the University of Florida in Denard’s Lab with a graduate certificate in machine learning, where he applied machine learning models to design inhibitor proteins. His current research focuses on developing machine learning models to predict sortase substrate reactions and designing de novo proteins using generative models and computational methods. Outside the lab, Nima enjoys film photography and going to the gym.

Julia Saucedo
Julia received her bachelor’s degree in Biology from Clayton State University. She is a Master of Engineering student majoring in Chemical engineering at the University of Florida. In the Denard lab, she assists with the continuous directed evolution of SplB towards synuclein cleavage, among other projects. Julia has many hobbies outside of the lab, including running, practicing the bass, and going on hikes with her dog.

Undergraduate Students

Marian Pulgar
Marian Pulgar is a Chemical/Biomolecular Engineering student. In the Denard Lab, Marian is characterizing protein-based protease inhibitors isolated using our yeast-based discovery platform - HARP. Outside of the lab, Marian likes to read, crochet, and listen to music.

David Arceo Zamora
David is a biological engineering (biosystems) student. In the Denard lab, David is interested in the degradation of protein aggregates in yeast. Outside of the lab, David likes to learn interesting facts about biology, take pictures of nature, use 3D design softwares like Solidworks, participate in robotics teams and play video games.

Koushin Unber
Koushin is a Chemical Engineering student from Bangladesh. In the Denard lab, she is interested in engineering systems for the directed evolution of proteases and improving substrate specificity. Outside of the lab, Koushin writes for The Daily Star, debates, plays volleyball, participates in activist organizations, and maintains her own blog.

Cianna Scutero
Cianna is majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Biomolecular Engineering. In the Denard Lab, Cianna’s focus is the selective reprogramming of proteases for therapeutic applications. Outside of the lab, Cianna enjoys crocheting, going on walks, and going to the beach.

Hunter Vu
Hunter Vu is a biomedical engineering major, minoring in biomolecular engineering. In the Denard Lab, Hunter is assisting in expanding HARP to isolate and characterize protein-based inhibitors for proteases involved in human diseases. Outside of the lab, Hunter likes to play video games, collect weapon replicas, and go on trips with his friends.

Emily Prins
Emily Prins is a microbiology student. In the Denard Lab, Emily is assisting in expanding HARP to isolate and characterize protein-based inhibitors for proteases involved in human diseases. Outside of the lab, Emily likes to read, play pickleball, and run.

Venkata Aditya Satvik Bhamidi
Venkata is a biomedical engineering student. In the Denard lab, Venkata is interested in the reprogramming the substrate specificity of protein-modifying enzymes for therapeutic applications. Outside of the lab, Venkata likes to read novels, play badminton, and bike.

Gabriela Anceaume
Gabriela Anceaume is a third-year Chemical Engineering student minoring in Biomolecular Engineering. In the Denard Lab, Gabriela is currently undergoing onboarding and will soon be working with Luis on protein purification, protein expression, and PCR, involving globular protein vesicles. Outside of the lab, Gabriela enjoys sports such as rock climbing and playing ultimate frisbee.

James Chen
James is a computer science student. In the Denard Lab, James is working with Nima to develop ML and computational tools to predict enzyme substrate specificity. Outside of the lab, James likes to play soccer and try new cuisines.

Alumni

MS students
Athena Ghiasi - Now at Texas A&M PhD program
Vandana Prabhakar
Shivani Biskunda - Now at a Co-op in Moderna
Afifa Khan - Now at Thin Films Group at Skyworks Solutions
Sai Amirisetti - now completing PhD in Electrical Engineering, UF
Abdul Kadli
Cassidy Simas - now at Biocryst Pharmaceuticals

Undergraduate Students
Pedro Cintron Baerga
Ethan Slaton - Now at Ohio State Chemical Engineering PhD
Spencer Serrano
Lauren Leisen
Ethan Vela
Julia Besu
Paola Oliva
Erika Monte
Breanna Healan
Emily Miller - now at UT Austin doing her PhD
Delena Nguyen
Vidya Huilgol
Ariory Hood - REU 2023, now at Zimmer Biomet
Gabrielle Wood - REU 2022