School of Engineering
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Lynette Cegelski
Monroe E. Spaght Professor of Chemistry and Professor, by courtesy, of Chemical Engineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory uncovers the chemical principles that organize living systems. Across biology - from microbial communities to human disease - chemical and macromolecular composition, molecular interactions, and chemical modifications govern the assembly, function, and persistence of complex biological systems, yet many of these principles remain hidden from conventional approaches. We develop innovative chemical, structural, and biological strategies to preserve and interrogate intact biological systems, revealing chemistry that cannot be observed by studying isolated components alone. Our work has uncovered previously unknown molecular structures, chemical modifications, and mechanisms of biological organization, including the discovery of phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) cellulose, a chemically modified form of cellulose that fundamentally changed our understanding of bacterial extracellular matrices.
In parallel, we discover and engineer molecules that probe, disrupt, and control biological systems. A major focus is the development of new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance and persistent bacterial communities. Our laboratory has introduced first-in-class vancomycin conjugates with multiple modes of action, unusually broad-spectrum activity, and the ability to sterilize biofilms - properties not observed together in other vancomycin conjugates. We also develop anti-biofilm agents, molecular probes, imaging agents, and other chemical tools that both reveal new biology and provide starting points for addressing pressing challenges in human health and disease.
Together, our research spans fundamental chemical discovery and molecular invention: uncovering the chemistry that enables biological systems to assemble and persist, and using those insights to create new ways to interrogate and control them. This work opens opportunities to combat infectious disease, improve human health, preserve marine ecosystems, advance sustainable materials, and deepen our understanding of how chemistry organizes life. -
Makyla Ann Cervantes
Undergraduate, Management Science and Engineering
BioMakyla is a student apart of Stanford's Class of 2028 whose ambition for business management and entrepreneurship has paved way for her community-uplifting endeavors! From founding her 501(c)3 nonprofit at 14 years old, scaling the company to provide 1,250+ low-income Latino students accessible dance opportunity, managing over $75k in assets, to being profiled on "Celebrations With Lacey Chabert" and attaining a $10,000 grant from Hallmark Media, to establishing the Women In Business Association where graduate Cal Lutheran and Pepperdine students mentored 300+ aspiring businesswomen, she ensures her pursuit of business further enriches female and Latino societies.
Makyla Cervantes will major in management science & engineering where she plans on intertwining economic, political, and technological industries to further Silicon Valley's innovative advancements! She cannot wait to explore the many dance, entrepreneurship, and Christian organizations on campus, uplifting the student body in any way possible. Here is to the next four, go trees!
