Members
Current Lab Members
Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr. Kathryne (Kati) Ford – kcford@ncsu.edu
- B.Sc. in Environmental Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
- Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
As a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University, I am applying my expertise in electrochemistry and biotechnology to develop tools and bioengineering strategies for industrially relevant thermophilic bacteria and archaea. I work with Dr. R.M. Kelly in the Kelly Lab, a leading research group in the field of extremophile microbiology and bioenergy.
I have over ten years of experience in microbiology and molecular genetics, which I gained during my Ph.D. at Michigan State University. There, I worked with Dr. Michaela TerAvest to bioengineer the electrogenic bacteria Shewanella oneidensis for microbial electrosynthesis. My work was recognized by the National Science Foundation as a recipient of the GRFP in 2020. I am passionate about finding innovative and sustainable solutions for environmental and energy challenges using microbial systems.
Graduate Students
Shayan Moghaddam – smoghad@ncsu.edu
- Ph.D. Student
- B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Current Research: My research focuses on extraction of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) using thermoacidophiles and by bioleaching processes, and developing ways for purification of these elements using protein engineering techniques.
Parker Mann – pemann2@ncsu.edu
- Ph.D. Student
- B.Sc. in Aerospace Physiology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
- M. Eng. in Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Current Research: My research focuses on the sustainable extraction of Rare Earth Elements by leveraging the capabilities of thermoacidophiles for bioleaching and developing purification methods using protein engineering techniques. I am very interested in how microorganisms that adapt to extreme environments can be used for practical engineering solutions.
Recent Past Members
| Ph.D. Students | |
|---|---|
| Mohamad Javad (MJ) Haghighat Manesh | PG&E, San Francisco, CA |
| Daniel Willard | Novonesis, Franklinton, NC |
| Ryan Bing | Capra Biosciences, Manassas, VA |
| Tunyaboon Laemthong | Asst. Prof., Dept. Chem Eng., Thammasat Univ., Thailand |
| James Crosby | Novonesis, Franklinton, NC |
| James Counts | Postdoc, Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI) |
| Christopher Straub | Novonesis, Franklinton, NC |
| Ben Zeldes | Postdoc, University of Rostock, Germany |
| Laura Lee | Novozymes, Franklinton, NC |
| Jonathan Conway | Asst Professor, Chem Biological Eng., Princeton Univ. |
| Andrew Loder | Vestaron Corp., Durham, NC |
| Garrett Wheaton | PreScouter, Inc., Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Jeff Zurawski | DiscGenics, SLC, Utah |
| Aaron Hawkins | Mindful Collaboration, Raleigh, NC |
| Hong Lian | School of Public Health, Xiamen University, China |
| Arpan Mukerjee | Alexion Pharmaceuticals, New Haven, CT |
| Jaspreet Notey | Lonza, Portsmouth, NH |
| Master’s Students | |
| Jun Gao | Grifols, Emeryville, CA |
| Lance Driskill | MD, Texas Radiology Associates, Bedford, TX |
| Rockey Bandlish | Illumina, San Diego, CA |
| Pascal Leduc | Bonduelle, Borderes, France |
| Olga D’Hennezel | Merck and Co., Durham, NC |
| Post-Docs/Visiting Scientists | |
| Piyum Khatibi | Novonesis, RTP, NC |
| Nick Vitko | UNC Chapel Hill, NC |
| Javier Izquierdo | Hofstra Univ.,Dept. of Biology, Hempstead, NY |
| Sara Blumer-Schuette | Oakland Univ., Dept. of Biological Sciences, Oakland, MI |
| Yejun Han | Chinese Acad. Sci, Beijing, China |
| Jason Nichols | Syngenta Corp., RTP, NC |