Emmanuel earned his  Bachelor of Science in Chemistry degree from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. His research centers on Photopharmacology and Optogenetics. He is currently exploring the synthesis of photoswitchable azobenzene ligands as potential potassium channel inhibitors.

Theophilus finished his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and MPhil Organic and Natural Products  from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. His research interests include photoswitches and photopharmacology.

Claire is a grad student in the organic division who got her BS in biochemistry from Missouri State University. She is researching serotonin receptors and their agonists with hopes of expanding her knowledge of organic synthesis and neurobiology.

Himanshu completed his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Delhi, India. His research interest is organic synthesis and currently working on ring strain of organic compounds with photoswitching applications.

Thumali, a graduate from the University of Kelaniya, studied Molecular Biology, Chemistry, and Botany, followed by a coursework Master’s in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. Presently at Kienzler lab, she focuses on exploring the therapeutic potential of photoswitchable molecules on human cell lines.

Arjun is a sophomore at UConn dual majoring in Chemistry and Psychology. He is interested in chemical photoswitches and their implications in medicine. He seeks to understand the organic and chemical processes involved in photoswitching and apply them to the medical fields that he wants to pursue.

Hansuja is a sophomore at UConn majoring in Allied Health Sciences with a Health Sciences concentration and minoring in Spanish. She is interested in the intersection of chemistry and biology, and how the synthesis of photoswitchable compounds can make an impact in the field of medicine. 

Anna is a Molecular and Cell Biology major with a minor in Healthcare Management and Insurance Studies. She is interested in how the application of photoswitches on types of ion channels, such as calcium release-activated calcium channels, can revolutionize fields of science and dental medicine

Jose is a junior at UConn majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. He is interested in the potential of molecular photoswitches to advance both the dental and medical fields. Jose looks forward to learning more about the processes and synthesis of photoswitchable compounds, aiming to apply this knowledge to develop innovative dental treatments and medical therapies.

Michael is a Chemistry Major at UConn who is also minoring in Mathematics. His interests lie in combining BODIPY fluorescent dyes and azobenzene photoswitches to create a new class of photocatalysts to catalyze atom transfer radical addition reactions. He aims to do this by creating donor-bridge-acceptor molecules using azobenzene as the bridge and BODIPY as the electron acceptor while varying the electron donor.

Sahiti is a junior at UConn double majoring in Chemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology. She is curious about the impact that photoswitches can make in their applications towards the intersection of chemistry and medicine as well as the organic processes behind their synthesis.

Carrie is a Junior at UConn working towards a Bachelor’s of Science in Physiology/Neurobiology, with a minor in Music. Her interests lie in neurophysiology as well as chemical biology. She looks forward to learning more about the impacts and usefulness of photoswitching!

Ameya is a sixth-year student at the University of Maine.  He is from Mumbai, India pursuing a Ph.D. in chemistry. His work focuses on the development of photoswitchable biomolecules to study various transmembrane proteins in the central nervous system.

Noah is a junior at UConn in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major. He is interested in the pharmacological applications of chemical photoswitches, and is working as an undergraduate research assistant to synthesize ligands for potassium channels.

Anwesha finished her BSc. Chemistry Hons from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, India and then went to VIT University Vellore India to finish her Master’s degree in Organic chemistry. She joined the Kienzler lab in 2016 and is working on the synthesis and characterizing of photoswitchable small molecules for CRAC channel inhibition.

Annalena did her B.S. in Chemistry at Lindenwood University in Missouri. She is currently working on Light-generated Ring Strain for Synthetic Chemistry using Bridged Azobenzene.

Kathryn is a junior Molecular and Cell Biology major. She is looking forward to learning more about the role of photoswitches and how they could potentially be used to further understand certain human health conditions and disease states.

Donny is a junior Physiology and Neurobiology major. He is excited to work as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Kienzler’s lab to further explore the immunological impacts of CRAC channels.

Yucheng got his BS degree in biological science from UConn and is continuing to pursue a Professional Masters Degree in Applied Biochemistry & Cell Biology. Next year, after achieve his Master’s degree, he plans to start a P.h.D program and research in Cell Therapy.