School of Humanities and Sciences
Showing 201-300 of 312 Results
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Suman Patra
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry
BioDr. Suman Patra is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University, working under the mentorship of Prof. Edward I. Solomon. His research focuses on uncovering the mechanistic intricacies of non-coupled binuclear copper (NBC) enzymes, particularly tyramine β-monooxygenase (TBM), which catalyzes oxygen activation and selective C–H bond hydroxylation.His work integrates high-resolution spectroscopy, transient kinetics, and protein biochemistry to probe the formation, structure, and reactivity of short-lived copper-oxygen intermediates. As part of this effort, he performs cell culture and protein purification, enabling the isolation of active, recombinant copper enzymes for detailed spectroscopic and mechanistic studies. Through a multi-spectroscopic approach, primarily UV-Vis, CD, MCD, EXAFS, EPR, resonance Raman, and stopped-flow absorption spectroscopy, he investigates how the geometric and electronic structure of the active sites modulate reactivity and enable O₂ activation without direct Cu–Cu coupling.
Dr. Patra earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), Kolkata, under the supervision of Prof. Abhishek Dey, where he developed iron porphyrin-based electrocatalysts for the selective reduction of CO₂. His research emphasized mechanistic analysis using electrochemical methods coupled with in situ spectro-electrochemistry to monitor redox transitions and catalytic intermediates under applied potentials. These studies were complemented by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which he used to model key intermediates, protonation pathways, and redox energetics, thereby providing molecular-level insight into how second-sphere interactions and ligand environments influence catalytic behaviour. His integrative experimental–computational approach provided a detailed understanding of structure-function relationships in multi-electron CO₂ reduction.
The mechanistic perspective and technical skillset developed during his doctoral work, particularly in combining spectroscopy, electrochemistry, and computation, now form the foundation of his postdoctoral research. His current studies extend those same principles to more complex metalloenzyme systems, addressing similar core questions about the role of electronic structure, metal-ligand coordination, and local environment in controlling reactivity. His long-term goal is to bridge synthetic and biological catalysis through a mechanistic lens, contributing to the development of efficient, selective systems for small-molecule activation and sustainable energy transformations.
Dr. Patra received his M.Sc. in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati after qualifying the national IIT-JAM examination and completed his B.Sc. in Chemistry at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. Over the course of his academic training, he has cultivated a multidisciplinary research identity that spans coordination chemistry, spectroscopy, electrochemical catalysis, and theoretical modelling. His scientific vision centres on using spectroscopic and computational insight to guide the rational design of catalysts for environmentally relevant redox chemistry. -
Deshan Perera
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioI am a Stanford Data Science Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Biology at Stanford University, supervised by Prof. Hunter Fraser. My research focuses on evolutionary dynamics and the development of high-performance computational tools to analyze complex biological systems. I earned my Ph.D. in Bioinformatics from the University of Calgary, Canada, where I investigated within-host evolution in pathogen genomics and cancer. Originally from Sri Lanka, I hold a First Class B.Sc. (Hons) in Biology from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. I am passionate about advancing computational biology through the design and implementation of scalable software solutions that leverage GPU, CPU, and SSD architectures for large-scale genomic and evolutionary analysis.
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Yoann Pull
Graduate Visiting Researcher Student, Statistics
BioI am a PhD candidate in Econometrics at the University of Orléans and a Visiting Student Researcher in the Department of Statistics at Stanford University. My research focuses on financial risk, with a particular interest in sequential inference, credit risk, and stress testing.
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Rafael Rivera Lugo
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioRafael Rivera-Lugo is a Stanford Science Fellow postdoctoral associate in the Department of Biology and the ChEM-H Institute at Stanford University, where he works in the laboratory of Christine Jacobs-Wagner. His postdoctoral research focuses on how the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi establishes infection using novel mouse models to dissect the immune and cellular mechanisms that drive tissue pathology during infection. He is also developing metabolically active, non-replicating bacterial platforms for vaccine applications.
Rafael completed his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, in the laboratory of Daniel A. Portnoy. His doctoral work revealed how the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes acquires and utilizes flavins (riboflavin derivatives) during infection, reshaping our understanding of bacterial metabolism and immune evasion. This work produced multiple high-impact publications in journals including PNAS, eLife, Nature, and mBio, and was recognized with the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award and the Nicholas Cozzarelli Prize. He received his B.S. in Biology and Biotechnology, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce.
Beyond research, Rafael is deeply committed to expanding access to scientific careers. He has mentored students from historically underserved communities through programs at Stanford and UC Berkeley, co-founded organizations to support peers navigating academic science, and has been a consistent advocate for creating welcoming and rigorous scientific environments for all students. -
Anders Rydstrom
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioAnders Rydstrom is a Postdoctoral Scholar with the Natural Capital Project and is investigating the links between exposure to nature areas and health. His research primarily focuses on conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with uses of multimodal data sources such as accelerometers, ecological momentary assessments, behavioral outcomes and biometric health data. Anders received his Ph.D. in psychology and neuroscience from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, where he analyzed heterogeneity of treatment effects in lifestyle oriented RCT’s for prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease and cognitive impairment. He has also conducted research within cognitive training and emotion regulation. He holds an M.Sc. in psychology from Lund University, Lund, Sweden and has also clinical experience from working as a licensed healthcare psychologist in Scandinavia.
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Navin Sridhar
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsElectromagnetic and multi-messenger signals powered by plasma processes around compact objects.
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Juliana Velez-Gomez
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
BioJuliana Vélez (she/her) is a postdoctoral researcher with the Natural Capital Project, studying land-use change and vector-borne disease risk. Her research applies quantitative ecological methods to understand interactions among species, their habitat, and anthropogenic disturbance. Juliana's work incorporates ecological experimentation and collaborations with decision makers to assess the effectiveness of conservation actions for improving ecosystems. She conducts her research under open science standards and has contributed to the development of online resources for reproducible research, including the publication of guides, datasets, and code related to statistical modeling and data processing using artificial intelligence. Juliana earned her Ph.D. in Conservation Sciences from the University of Minnesota.
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Elisa Mariel Visher
Postdoctoral Scholar, Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsElisa Visher is broadly interested in the (co)evolution of life history strategies, niche breadth, diversification, and adaptability. They use mostly experimental evolution methods in microbial systems to test the predictions and assumptions of theoretical literature. Currently, they am especially interested in understanding the genetics of trade-offs in microbes to better understand patterns of diversity in nature and constraints to adaptation.
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Yecun Wu
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
BioDr. Yecun Wu is a postdoctoral scholar in the physics department at Stanford University, working with Prof. Steven Chu. His research interests encompass a range of interdisciplinary fields, including quantum sensing, quantum materials, energy storage, and sustainability.
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Lin Xin
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
BioLin Xin is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Physics Department at Stanford University. He received his Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology, following undergraduate studies at Shanghai Jiaotong University. His current research centers on advancing optical control of interactions among laser-cooled atoms, with an eye towards applications in quantum simulation, metrology, and computation. He has developed protocols in quantum optimal control for entanglement-enhanced eigenstates in spinor Bose-Einstein condensates.
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CHENHANG XU
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
BioI am a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University in the Zong/Hwang group. I received my undergraduate and doctoral degrees from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), where I specialized in pulsed laser deposition, the synthesis of complex oxide materials and MeV ultrafast electron diffraction (UED).
My research focuses on ultrafast structural dynamics in quantum materials using techniques such as MeV-UED, ultrafast electron microscopy (UEM), time-resolved X-ray diffraction, and pump–probe optical spectroscopy. These time-resolved probes are integrated with advanced and highly tunable sample environments, including in situ strain engineering and electrostatic gating, to actively control competing electronic, structural, and ferroic orders. This capability enables the design, discovery, and quantitative understanding of nonequilibrium phases, transient orders, and metastable states in quantum materials. -
Pavan Yadav
Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry
BioI am a Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford University in the laboratory of Professor Paul A. Wender, where I work on the development of delivery technologies for RNA therapeutics, including mRNA, circular RNA (circRNA), and oligonucleotide-based medicines. My current research focuses on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and transporter-based systems for targeted nucleic acid delivery, with the goal of advancing the translation of genetic medicines.
I received my Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from CSIR–Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), India. During my doctoral training, I specialized in nanomedicine, drug delivery, pharmacokinetics, and bioanalytical method development, with a particular focus on developing nanocarrier-based therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Prior to my Ph.D., I earned both my Bachelor of Pharmacy and Master of Pharmacy degrees from Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, India.
My research interests span RNA therapeutics, drug delivery, nanomedicine, lipid nanoparticle engineering, pharmacokinetics, and translational pharmaceutical sciences. I have experience in the design, formulation, and biological evaluation of diverse delivery systems, including lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, nanoemulsions, polymeric carriers, and other nanomaterial-based therapeutic platforms. My work integrates formulation science, biological evaluation, and preclinical studies to improve the delivery and performance of therapeutic agents.
I have authored more than 35 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Nature Communications, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Nanomedicine, and Bioanalysis. I am particularly interested in developing innovative delivery approaches that bridge fundamental research and clinical translation, with the ultimate goal of improving treatment options for patients. -
Chao Yin
Postdoctoral Scholar, Physics
BioChao Yin is a Q-FARM Bloch Fellow at Stanford University. He earned his B.Sc. in Physics from Peking University (2016–2020), and completed his Ph.D. in Physics at University of Colorado Boulder (2020–2025) under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Lucas. His research interests include quantum information, condensed matter theory, and mathematical physics.
