Meet the Team
Jan 2025
from left: Ramon, Nirmal, Sophia, Beeta, Vidya, Grace, Vinny, Paul, Mujeeb
standing in the IBB hallway in front of Irving Geis' rendering of the LacR repressor
Thanks to Prof. Dr. Loren Dean Williams and others, Georgia Tech hosts Geis' original artwork.
from left: Ramon, Nirmal, Sophia, Beeta, Vidya, Grace, Vinny, Paul, Mujeeb
standing in the IBB hallway in front of Irving Geis' rendering of the LacR repressor
Thanks to Prof. Dr. Loren Dean Williams and others, Georgia Tech hosts Geis' original artwork.
(top to bottom; left to right): Vinny (PI), Nirmal (postdoc), Weimao (postdoc), Shahima (postdoc), Vidya (grad), Mujeeb (grad), Grace (grad), Paul (grad), Ramon (grad), Ashley (undergrad), Beeta (undergrad), Sophia (undergrad)
(pictures are email links)
Vinayak Agarwal
Vinny is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech with joint appointments at the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Biological Sciences. Vinny likes to tinker in the lab.
Vinny CV
Nirmal Saha, postdoc. 2022 –
Nirmal received his PhD in Science (Chemistry) 2021 from the University of Kalyani, working with Dr. Syed Masood Husain at Centre of Biomedical Research, India. During his Ph.D., he worked on the total synthesis of PKS derived natural products and biocatalysis. Currently, he is working on the synthesis of organic molecules that act as covalent mechanistic inhibitors of bacterial enzymes that synthesize natural products.
Vidya, graduate student. 2022 –
Vidya completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in chemistry from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal India in 2021. During her undergrad she worked on synthesis of small molecule agonists for GLP-1 Receptors. Currently she is working on RiPP biosynthesis.
Mujeeb Wakeel, graduate student. 2023 –
Mujeeb received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2019 from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. In August 2023, he graduated with a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Mujeeb currently works on RiPP biosynthesis.
Yifan (Grace) Tang, graduate student. 2023 –
Grace received her Bachelors in Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. During her undergrad, she interned at Mary Kay as a Product Integrity Analytical Intern and worked as an Electroanalytical Chemist at Ringcrush. Grace is now finding new natural products in marine bacteria.
Paul Branham, graduate student. 2023 –
Paul Branham graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from Kenesaw state in 2017. Since then he has worked at several prestigious research institutes such as Emory and the CDC. Paul currently works on RiPP biosynthesis.
Ramon Xie, graduate student. 2024 –
Ramon obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2024. He worked on a variety of projects during his undergrad, including DFT simulation of surface catalysis, quantification of specific secondary metabolite production in marine algae, and exploration of bio-orthogonal reactions compatible with RiPP modification. Ramon is now continuing to examine RiPP modification.
Ashley Track, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Ashley is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Spanish. She is investigating Natural Products in marine bacteria, focusing on their morphological characteristics.
Beeta Enfaradi, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Beeta is an undergraduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology studying Biochemistry. She is currently working on RiPP biosynthesis and is planning to pursue a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology after graduation.
Sophia Oyelere, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Sophia Oyelere is a current undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Chemistry. She has worked with natural products, organic reaction sequences, separation and purification techniques, and has experiece with various analytical instruments. In the future, she would like to pursue a PharmD and work in the pharmaceutical research industry.
(pictures are email links)
Vinayak Agarwal
Vinny is an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech with joint appointments at the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Biological Sciences. Vinny likes to tinker in the lab.
Vinny CV
Nirmal Saha, postdoc. 2022 –
Nirmal received his PhD in Science (Chemistry) 2021 from the University of Kalyani, working with Dr. Syed Masood Husain at Centre of Biomedical Research, India. During his Ph.D., he worked on the total synthesis of PKS derived natural products and biocatalysis. Currently, he is working on the synthesis of organic molecules that act as covalent mechanistic inhibitors of bacterial enzymes that synthesize natural products.
- Nirmal's 2024 JACS paper
- Nirmal and Vidya's 2025 Org Lett paper
- Nirmal and Paul (co-first) and Sophia's 2025 J Org Chem paper
- Nirmal's 2025 Methods Enzymol paper (coming soon)
Vidya, graduate student. 2022 –
Vidya completed her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in chemistry from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal India in 2021. During her undergrad she worked on synthesis of small molecule agonists for GLP-1 Receptors. Currently she is working on RiPP biosynthesis.
- Vidya and Luna's (joint first) 2024 Nat Commun paper
- Nirmal and Vidya's 2024 JACS paper
- Vidya and Nirmal's (joint first) 2025 Org Lett paper
Mujeeb Wakeel, graduate student. 2023 –
Mujeeb received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2019 from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. In August 2023, he graduated with a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Mujeeb currently works on RiPP biosynthesis.
- Dongqi and Mujeeb's 2024 Biochemistry paper
Yifan (Grace) Tang, graduate student. 2023 –
Grace received her Bachelors in Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. During her undergrad, she interned at Mary Kay as a Product Integrity Analytical Intern and worked as an Electroanalytical Chemist at Ringcrush. Grace is now finding new natural products in marine bacteria.
Paul Branham, graduate student. 2023 –
Paul Branham graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from Kenesaw state in 2017. Since then he has worked at several prestigious research institutes such as Emory and the CDC. Paul currently works on RiPP biosynthesis.
- Paul and Nirmal (co-first) and Sophia's 2025 J Org Chem paper
Ramon Xie, graduate student. 2024 –
Ramon obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2024. He worked on a variety of projects during his undergrad, including DFT simulation of surface catalysis, quantification of specific secondary metabolite production in marine algae, and exploration of bio-orthogonal reactions compatible with RiPP modification. Ramon is now continuing to examine RiPP modification.
Ashley Track, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Ashley is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry with a minor in Spanish. She is investigating Natural Products in marine bacteria, focusing on their morphological characteristics.
Beeta Enfaradi, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Beeta is an undergraduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology studying Biochemistry. She is currently working on RiPP biosynthesis and is planning to pursue a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology after graduation.
Sophia Oyelere, undergraduate student. 2024 –
Sophia Oyelere is a current undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Chemistry. She has worked with natural products, organic reaction sequences, separation and purification techniques, and has experiece with various analytical instruments. In the future, she would like to pursue a PharmD and work in the pharmaceutical research industry.
- Paul and Nirmal and Sophia's 2025 J Org Chem paper
May 2024
Start of the summer pizza lunch!
Vinny->Paul->Aaron->Vidya->Manan->Nirmal->Grace->Mujeeb->the one and only Prof. Dr. Andrew McShan
Start of the summer pizza lunch!
Vinny->Paul->Aaron->Vidya->Manan->Nirmal->Grace->Mujeeb->the one and only Prof. Dr. Andrew McShan
5-6-24
Loads of fun and interesting science at the SoCB Research Symposium
Loads of fun and interesting science at the SoCB Research Symposium
7-12-23
Luna and Dongqi's successful thesis defense celebration
Luna and Dongqi's successful thesis defense celebration
7-12-23
No PhD until the champagne is poured, as Luna demonstrates
No PhD until the champagne is poured, as Luna demonstrates
12-16-22
Vinny taking one for the team
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Holiday Party with Prof. Jesse McDaniel having his bit of fun
Vinny taking one for the team
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Holiday Party with Prof. Jesse McDaniel having his bit of fun
Lab picture 12-16-22
back row, left to right: Nirmal, Cheyenne, Vinny, Ethan, Weimao, Jiaqi
front row, left to right: Shahima, Luna, Vidya, Dongqi
back row, left to right: Nirmal, Cheyenne, Vinny, Ethan, Weimao, Jiaqi
front row, left to right: Shahima, Luna, Vidya, Dongqi
Ipsita graduates! 05-11-22
from left to right: Cheyenne, Dongqi, Ispita, Vinny, Luna, Nirmal
from left to right: Cheyenne, Dongqi, Ispita, Vinny, Luna, Nirmal
Alumni
Hem Thapa, postdoc. 2017 – 2020
Hem graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2011 and earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M working with Dr. Tim Devarenne. Hem joined the lab in summer 2017, and here, he was interested in the discovery and engineering of natural product biosynthetic pathways. Hem is now at the CDC as a Molecular Biologist working on real world problems. We are glad to continue to have him close to home.
Hem graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2011 and earned his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M working with Dr. Tim Devarenne. Hem joined the lab in summer 2017, and here, he was interested in the discovery and engineering of natural product biosynthetic pathways. Hem is now at the CDC as a Molecular Biologist working on real world problems. We are glad to continue to have him close to home.
Ipsita Mohanty, CHEM & BIOCHEM graduate student. 2017 – 2022
Ipsita completed her Bachelors and Masters in Chemistry from IIT Kharagpur in 2017. She started her grad school at GT with Garg and Agarwal in Fall 2017. Ipsita worked on elucidating how bioactive molecules are naturally synthesized. Upon graduation in Spring 2022, Ipsita started her position as a postdoctoral scientist at UC San Diego with Pieter Dorrestein and Rob Knight.
Ipsita completed her Bachelors and Masters in Chemistry from IIT Kharagpur in 2017. She started her grad school at GT with Garg and Agarwal in Fall 2017. Ipsita worked on elucidating how bioactive molecules are naturally synthesized. Upon graduation in Spring 2022, Ipsita started her position as a postdoctoral scientist at UC San Diego with Pieter Dorrestein and Rob Knight.
- Ipsita's 2020 Marine Drugs paper
- Ipsita and Dongqi's 2020 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Ipsita and Subhasish's 2021 mSystems paper
- Ipsita and Luna's (joint first) 2021 ChemBioChem paper
- Luna and Ipsita's 2021 JACS paper
- Ipsita's 2021 ACS Omega paper
- Weimao and Dongqi and Ipsita's 2023 ChemBioChem paper
- Weimao and Ipsita's 2024 J Org Chem paper
Nguyet Nguyen (Luna), CHEM & BIOCHEM graduate student. 2018 – 2023
Luna graduated from Vietnam National University of Science in 2017 with a Bachelors in Chemistry and started as a grad student in the Agarwal lab in Fall 2018. In the Agarwal lab, Luna worked on RiPP biosynthesis. Luna worked at Merck in the summer 2022 as an intern. Upon graduation in summer 2023, Luna moved to work at Merck in the biocatalysis division.
Dongqi Yi, CHEM & BIOCHEM graduate student. 2018 – 2023
Dongqi received her Bachelors in Pharmacy from Nankai University and her Masters in Biotechnology from Northwestern University. Upon starting at Georgia Tech in Fall 2018, she worked with Gutekunst and Agarwal where she studied polyketide biosynthesis and engineering. Dongqi spent the summer 2022 as an intern at Amyris in the Bay Area. Upon graduation in Summer 2023, Dongqi started her position at IFF in Delaware.
Subhasish Tapadar, research scientist. 2020 – 2021
Subhasish is an experienced synthetic organic chemist with fifteen years of experience in drug discovery and development in many therapeutic areas, including oncology, Alzheimer’s disease, infection, and inflammation. Subhasish’s work is primarily focused on developing epigenetic drugs to treat cancer, and he has made original and significant contributions in this field. Subhasish graduated from Osmania University, India in 2005 and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry.
Shahima Islam, postdoc. 2022 – 2024
Shahima received her Ph.D. in 2019 from the University of Texas at Austin. She investigated genetic basis for stress-induced ROS-mediated response in red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis.
Weimao Zhong, postdoc. 2022 – 2024
Weimao graduated from South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2019 and earned his Ph.D. in marine natural products chemistry. In Jan. 2020, he joined The University of Arizona to do combinatorial biosynthetic chemistry as a postdoc working with Prof. Istvan Molnar and Prof. A. A. Leslie Gunatilaka. In June 2022, he joined the Agarwal lab and worked on the discovery and biosynthesis of natural products from microorganisms. In 2024, Weimao started his independent position and laboratory in China.
Luna graduated from Vietnam National University of Science in 2017 with a Bachelors in Chemistry and started as a grad student in the Agarwal lab in Fall 2018. In the Agarwal lab, Luna worked on RiPP biosynthesis. Luna worked at Merck in the summer 2022 as an intern. Upon graduation in summer 2023, Luna moved to work at Merck in the biocatalysis division.
- Luna and Ipsita's 2021 JACS paper
- Luna's (joint first with Ipsita) 2021 ChemBioChem paper
- Luna's 2022 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Luna's 2023 Biochemistry paper
- Luna and Vidya's (joint first) 2024 Nat Commun paper
Dongqi Yi, CHEM & BIOCHEM graduate student. 2018 – 2023
Dongqi received her Bachelors in Pharmacy from Nankai University and her Masters in Biotechnology from Northwestern University. Upon starting at Georgia Tech in Fall 2018, she worked with Gutekunst and Agarwal where she studied polyketide biosynthesis and engineering. Dongqi spent the summer 2022 as an intern at Amyris in the Bay Area. Upon graduation in Summer 2023, Dongqi started her position at IFF in Delaware.
- Hem and Dongqi's 2020 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Ipsita and Dongqi's 2020 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Dongqi's 2021 JACS paper
- Atanu and Dongqi's 2022 Biochemistry paper
- Dongqi's 2022 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Dongqi's 2023 ACS Chem Biol paper
- Weimao and Dongqi and Ipsita's 2023 ChemBioChem paper
- Dongqi's 2024 Front Mar Sci paper
- Dongqi and Mujeeb's 2024 Biochemistry paper
Subhasish Tapadar, research scientist. 2020 – 2021
Subhasish is an experienced synthetic organic chemist with fifteen years of experience in drug discovery and development in many therapeutic areas, including oncology, Alzheimer’s disease, infection, and inflammation. Subhasish’s work is primarily focused on developing epigenetic drugs to treat cancer, and he has made original and significant contributions in this field. Subhasish graduated from Osmania University, India in 2005 and earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry.
- Ipsita and Subhasish's 2021 mSystems paper
Shahima Islam, postdoc. 2022 – 2024
Shahima received her Ph.D. in 2019 from the University of Texas at Austin. She investigated genetic basis for stress-induced ROS-mediated response in red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis.
Weimao Zhong, postdoc. 2022 – 2024
Weimao graduated from South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2019 and earned his Ph.D. in marine natural products chemistry. In Jan. 2020, he joined The University of Arizona to do combinatorial biosynthetic chemistry as a postdoc working with Prof. Istvan Molnar and Prof. A. A. Leslie Gunatilaka. In June 2022, he joined the Agarwal lab and worked on the discovery and biosynthesis of natural products from microorganisms. In 2024, Weimao started his independent position and laboratory in China.
George (Quint) Gfroerer, REU student. Summer 2021
Grace Hanson, undergraduate student. 2021
Nadine H. Abrahamse, undergraduate student. 2020 - 2021
Emily N Glatter, undergraduate student. 2021 - 2022
Andrew Lail, undergraduate student. 2017 - 19. Current: University of Wisconsin
Michelle Kim, high school student. 2018 - 19.
Rohan Gupta, high school student. 2017 - 18.
Michelle Kim, high school student. 2018 - 19.
Rohan Gupta, high school student. 2017 - 18.