Team
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Principal Investigator (PI)
Ruixuan Gao Ph.D., Harvard University B.S., UC Berkeley Email: [email protected] Ruixuan (“Rui”) Gao is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biological Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). His research interests lie at the interface of chemistry and biology, with a primary focus on nanoscale imaging and sensing of cells and tissues. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University and completed his postdoctoral training at MIT and HHMI Janelia Research Campus. |
Postdoctoral Research Associates
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Guang ("Sunny") Yang
Ph.D., University of Illinois Chicago B.S. & B.A., University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Email: [email protected] Guang ("Sunny") Yang is a postdoctoral researcher in the Gao Lab in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He holds dual bachelor's degrees in Chemistry and Business Administration, combining a robust background in scientific research with a strong understanding of business practices. Guang completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at UIC, focusing on advancing the understanding of aromaticity in complex cyclic conjugated molecular systems. His work explored Baird's rule through computational and experimental approaches, with potential applications in materials science and photochemistry. Beyond research, Guang is passionate about sustainable chemical innovations and enjoys playing tennis as a way to relax and recharge. |
Graduate Students
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Jamuna Tandukar
B.S., University of Louisiana Monroe Email: [email protected] Jamuna Tandukar is currently a graduate student in the MCDBN (Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology and Neuroscience) program in the Department of Biological Sciences at UIC. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Louisiana Monroe. She did her undergraduate research on Drosophila Boundary Element Associated Factor (BEAF) in Louisiana State University. |
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Wei Wang
M.S., China Pharmaceutical University B.S., Shenyang Pharmaceutical University Email: [email protected] Wei Wang is a Ph.D. candidate at Gao lab in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He obtained his Master's degree in Pharmacognosy from China Pharmaceutical University, where he performed research on natural products (saponin from soybeans and camellia fruits) using various microorganism strains. Currently, his research interests focus on advanced analytical methods of bio-samples and the relationships between biological structures and functions. |
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Yat Ho Chan
B.S., The Chinese University of Hong Kong Email: [email protected] Yat Ho ("Horace") Chan is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. |
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Maddison Hibbard
B.S., University of Wisconsin–Madison Email: [email protected] Maddie Hibbard is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). She received her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She did her undergraduate research studying nanomaterial interactions in model biological systems. |
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Helen Dobbelmann
B.S., Loyola University Chicago Email: [email protected] Helen Dobbelmann is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). She received her Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science from Loyola University Chicago. She did her undergraduate research studying alcohol biomarkers in the blood. |
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Anam Islam
MRes, University College London B.T., Amity University Email: [email protected] Anam Islam is a graduate student at UIC Biological Sciences. She received her master's degree from University College London where she primarily worked on understanding the neuroprotective mechanisms in a knock-in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Currently her interests lie in diving deeper into mechanisms of neurodegeneration while gaining expertise in neuroscience techniques. |
Visiting Scientists and Affiliates
Undergraduate Research Assistants
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Arij Ahmed
B.S. in Biochemistry, UIC (2025) Email: [email protected] Arij Ahmed is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). Arij is majoring in Biochemistry and is on the pre-med track, due to her desire to pursue forensic pathology. A fun fact about Arij is that she has been playing the viola for 6 years. |
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Bisma Afzal
B.S. in Neuroscience, UIC (2026) Email: [email protected] Bisma Afzal is an undergraduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry and Chinese. She is pursuing an MD-PhD with interests in neurodegeneration and cognition. An interesting fact about Bisma is that she is passionate about photography and loves the aesthetic inspired by Wong Kar Wai. |