The people who make the magic happen :)
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Daeyeon Lee
Evan C Thompson Term Chair for Excellence in Teaching
Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University, 2001
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, MIT, 2007
Postdoctoral training: Experimental Soft Condensed Matter Group, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 2007-2008
email: daeyeon@seas.upenn.edu
phone: 215.573.4521
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS
Rajarshi Chattaraj, Ph.D.
Graduated From: University of Colorado, Boulder
Hometown: Durgapur, India
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Joined Lab: May 2018 (co-advised by Profs. Chandra Sehgal and Daniel Hammer)
Research: Ultrasound-responsive, protein-stabilized microbubbles for theranostic applications
Min Jun Oh, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon
Hometown: Yangsan, Republic of Korea
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: August 2020 (co-advised by Profs. Hyun (Michel) Koo and Geelsu Hwang)
Research: Functional microcapsules for delivery of dental therapeutics
Hong-Huy Tran, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Université Grenoble Alpes, France
Hometown: Phan Rang-Thap Cham, Vietnam
Major: Materials Science
Joined Lab: April 2022 (co-advised by Prof. Hyun (Michel) Koo)
Research: Biofilm removal
Yoon-Ho Hwang, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Korea
Hometown: Deagu, Korea
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: April 2022 (co-advised by Prof. Dave Issadore)
Research: Precise and scalable production of lipid nanoparticles
Baekmin Kim, Ph.D.
Graduated From: KAIST, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Hometown: Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: May 2022
Research: Dynamic behaviors of soft materials near/at interfaces
Yijiang Mu, Ph.D.
Graduated From: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Hometown: Hangzhou, China
Major: Materials Chemistry
Joined Lab: October 2022
Research: Synthesis of Janus colloids with disctinct optical properties
Jaekyoung Kim, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Seoul National University of Science and Technology (Seoul, Korea)
Hometown: Namyangju, Republic of Korea
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: March 2023
Research: Functional films by surface engineering, Mass production of microdroplets in microfluidics
Sunghee Lee, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Ewha Womans University, Korea
Hometown: Namyangju, Republic of KoreaHometown: Seoul, Korea
Major: Chemistry
Joined Lab: March 2023 (co-advised by Profs. Hyun (Michel) Koo)
Research: Oral biofilm
Taeyoung Heo, Ph.D.
Graduated From: Hongik University, Republic of Korea
Hometown: Seongnam, Republic of Korea
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: April 2023 (co-advised by Prof. Robert A. Riggleman)
Research: Polymer-Infiltrated Nanoparticle Films
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Tiancheng (Arthur) Wang
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Beihang University
Hometown: Beijing, China
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Joined Lab: April 2017
Research: Bijels
Interests: fitness training, travelling
Joseph Rosenfeld
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: The City College of New York
Hometown: Monsey, N.Y.
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2018
Interests: Activities in Nature, Health and Fitness, Music Theory
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Princeton University
Hometown: Bangkok, Thailand
Major: BSE in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Highest Honors
Joined Lab: Fall 2018
Interests: Novels (especially fantasy), comics, animation, video games, sports (all sorts), martial arts, and learning/trying out new things (particularly food) :)
Jessica O'Callaghan
Year: PhD candidate
Graduated From: Penn State
Hometown: Millbrook, New York
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2018
Interests: I love traveling, art, and music. I also enjoy yoga and eating good food.
Tian Ren
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Tsinghua University
Hometown: Zhengzhou, China
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2018
Interests: I love running marathons and meeting new people. I also enjoy traveling and reading.
Yuxuan (Ivy) Dai
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: The Pennsylvania State University
Hometown: Changsha, China
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2019
Research: Bijels as reaction media
Interests: Travelling, Movies, and DOGS!
Lilia Escobedo
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Cornell University
Hometown: Ithaca, NY
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2019
Research: Protein-inspired superhydrophilic surface design to create non-fouling surfaces
Interests: I like watching movies, cooking, and playing with my dogs. I also practice Taekwondo, and I'm in the process of learning how to ice skate!
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Anastasia Neuman
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: MIT
Hometown: Abingdon, MD
Major: B.S. in Chemical-Biological Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2019
Research: Effect of extreme nanoconfinement on the thermodynamics and transport phenomena in multiphasic nanocomposite films
Interests: field hockey, cooking, trying every kind of food, reading, traveling
Website: https://sites.google.com/seas.upenn.edu/annaneu/presentations?authuser=0
Trevor Devine
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: University of Pittsburgh
Hometown: Marlton, NJ
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2020
Research: Effect of extreme nanoconfinement on the thermodynamics and transport phenomena in multiphasic nanocomposite films
Interests: food and drink tasting, exploring the city, hockey, cooking, and audiobooks
Alexander Johnson
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Rowan University
Hometown: Oaklyn, NJ
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2020
Research: Protein-inspired superhydrophilic surface design to create non-fouling surfaces
Interests: I enjoy getting outside to hike, play golf, or play hockey on the pond in the winter. I am interested in trying new foods in the city and I am a fan of all Philadelphia sports.
Owen Land
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Hometown: North Vernon, IN
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2020
Research: Microbubble extraction of algal oil for biodiesel production and bio-refinery pptimization
Interests: Hiking, music, ultimate frisbee, craft beer, traveling, anything outdoors really
Anirban Majumder
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: IIT Kharagpur
Hometown: West Bengal, India
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2020
Research: Polymer Upcycling
Interests: Traveling, chess, music, movies, books, cooking and working out
CK Yeh
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Rutgers University
Hometown: Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2020
Research: Microbubbles for therapeutic and diagnostic applications
Interests: Chilling out with the crew in the schoolyard, doing things for the lolz xD, helping a worthy cause, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Emery Hsu
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: National Taiwan University
Hometown: Taipei, Taiwan
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2021
Interests: Traveling, writing, reading and classical music
Hoang Dinh
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: MIT
Hometown: Hanoi, Vietnam
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2021
Research: Distributed Ribonucleic Acid Manufacturing (DReAM) using bijel.
Interests: baking, badminton, jazz, and J-Pop
Siddharth Sharma
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Penn State
Hometown: New Delhi, India
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2021
Research: Bioprocess upscaling using microfluidics
Interests: Movies, Traveling, Painting, Dancing.
Sophie Haddad
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Lebanese University, Faculty of Medical Sciences
Hometown: Beirut, Lebanon
Major: Bioengineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2022
Research: Theranostic Microbubbles
Interests: Traveling, cooking, trying new foods
Jesse James Efymow
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Drexel University
Hometown: Audubon, New Jersey
Major: B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2022
Research: Microfluidics
Interests: I love sports, hiking, and reading.
Philip Iaccarino
Year: PhD Candidate
Graduated From: Stony Brook University
Hometown: Farmingdale, New York
Major: M.S. and B.E. in Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Joined Lab: Fall 2022
Interests: Ultimate frisbee, cooking, watching sports, live music, good food
Kaiwen Wang
Year: PhD Student
Graduated From: Johns Hopkins University
Hometown: Nanjing, China
Major: B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: Spring 2023
Research: Polymer Upcycling
Interests: Video games, board games, cooking, singing, good food and good drinks.
Stuti Dureja
Year: Master's Candidate
Graduated From: University of Delhi
Hometown: Delhi, India
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: Jan 2023
Research: Isolation and Purification of RNA
Interests: Movies, podcasts, boxing, trying new food
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Stefanie Xin Pfahnl
Year: Undergraduate Student, Sophomore
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: January 2022
Research: Microbubbles
Interests: Baking bread, skiing, hiking
Awahan Sapkota
Year: Rising Sophomore (Undergraduate student)
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: May 2023
Research: Biodiesel synthesis from algae, cavitation, microbubbles
Interests: Hiking, cycling, and traveling to new places
Lorenzo Galang
Year: Rising second-year undergraduate
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Major: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Joined Lab: May 2023
Research: Algal cell lysis by ultrasonically induced cavitation
Interests: Football, traveling, cooking
VISITING SCHOLARS
João Victor Mattioni
Year: Visiting Scholar (PhD student, advised by Prof. Henrique Toma and co-advised by Prof. Fernando Menegatti de Melo)
Graduated From: University of São Paulo
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil
Major: B.S. in Chemistry
Joined Lab: July 2022
Research: Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesis and assembly for strategic metals capture
Interests: Formula 1, rock music, anime, chess, sports and e-sports
Roberto Vaquero
Year: Visiting Scholar ( undergraduate student, co-advised by Prof. Daeyeon Lee & Siddharth Sharma)
Graduated From: currently studying at University of Puerto Rico-Humacao
Hometown: Humacao, Puerto Rico
Major: Industrial Chemistry
Joined Lab: June 2023
Research: Microfluidic cell fabrication for emulsions
Interests: music, traveling, art and history
Nia Bellopede
Year: Visiting Student (Rising Junior at Rowan University)
Hometown: Sewell, NJ
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Joined Lab: May 2023
Research: Boosting subcellular assay throughout via colloidal arraying by capillary assembly
Interests: reading and traveling
VISITING PROFESSOR
Dong-Sik Shin
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Sookmyung Women's University
Assistant project scientist of Biomedical Engineering, UC Davis
Postdoctoral scholar of Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley
Ph.D. of Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University
B.S. of Chemical Engineering, Seoul National University
Website: https://www.biomatlab.net/