»Chemistry and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Faculty

Dr. Bisoffi is a molecular biologist who specializes in field cancerization, prostate cancer, tumor-adjacent tissues, biomarker, natural products and experimental cancer therapeutics. 

Dr. Benaksas-Schwartz is a bio-organic chemist who specializes in drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development of small molecules of medicinal importance.

Dr. Bonne is a molecular biologist who specializes in virology, biochemistry and laboratory instruction. His teaching interests include Socratic teaching methodologies that promote active learning and communication skills.

Dr. de Bruyn is an analytical and physical chemist who specializes in atmospheric chemistry, the oxidative capacity of the troposphereand global climate change.

Dr. Dries (pronounced “Dreez”) is a chemistry education researcher who specializes in using student feedback to provide more effective learning environments. Interests include student motivation, STEM identity, autonomy (becoming a self-directed learner), curiosity, and assessment.

Dr. Esposito specializes in spectroscopy and reactions of atmospheric and astronomical molecules.

Dr. Hirbawi is an organic chemist who specializes in using transition metal catalysis for cross-coupling and cross-electrophile coupling reactions. She is focused on teaching organic chemistry lecture and lab courses.

Dr. Islam specializes in self-assembly, molecular recognition, surface chemistry, hydrogels, bioconjugation, sensing and nanomaterials.

Dr. Gartner is an analytical chemist with a particular interest in atmospheric chemistry. He is passionate about making chemistry lab and lecture courses engaging to students from all backgrounds. He is the general chemistry lab coordinator.

Dr. Kim specializes in the environmental impacts of metal contamination in areas including mine-impacted regions, contaminated waters, and urban-wildfire interfaces.

Dr. Kim's Lab

Dr. LaRue specializes in using spectroscopic techniques (light) to observe and control the fundamental molecular interactions that occur during chemical reactions on the surfaces of metal catalysts.

Dr. LaRue's Lab

Dr. Lopez's research interests include cell signaling and protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs).

Dr. Markina specializes in developing aryne-mediated and metal-catalyzed methodologies for the synthesis of small heterocyclic molecules. She is teaching and coordinating organic chemistry laboratory courses.

Dr. Mekhail focuses on the design of inorganic catalysts to tackle pressing environmental challenges, including the development of earth-abundant metal complexes with tailored ligands for sustainable hydrogenation and cobalt-based electrocatalysts for the targeted degradation of PFAS through C–F bond activation.

Dr. Miklavcic is a nutritional pharmacologist who specializes in functional foods, nutrigenomics and nutraceuticals. He researches how dietary lipids interact with and regulate gene function in neonatal health and development.

Dr. Owens is a physical biochemist who specializes in biological nitrogen fixation, nitrogenase, bacterial iron uptake, hemophore, bioinorganic chemistry and structural biology.  

Dr. Owen's Lab

Dr. Rowland-Goldsmith is a molecular biologist who specializes in pancreatic cancer and experimental therapeutics.

Dr. Wang specializes in crystallography, solid-state chemistry, synthetic chemistry for developing functional materials for electronic application and laser technology.