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The people who make the magic happen :)

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

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Daeyeon Lee

Russell Pearce and Elizabeth Crimian Heuer Professor


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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Sunghee Lee, Ph.D.

Graduated From: Ewha Womans University, Republic of Korea

Hometown: Seoul, Republic of Korea

Major: Chemistry

Joined Lab: March 2023 (co-advised by Prof. Hyun (Michel) Koo) 

Research: Biomaterials for Oral Disease Prevention

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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

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Woojin Jung, Ph.D.

Graduated From: Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon

Hometown: Seoul, Republic of Korea

Major: Chemical Engineering

Joined Lab: June 2023

Research: Liquid metal physics and applications, Surface and interface physics, Stretchable and wearable electronics, Nanopatterning, Bio-integrated flexible, implantable electronics

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Seyeon Park, Ph.D.

Graduated from: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 
Hometown: Incheon, Korea
Major: Materials Science and Engineering 
Joined Lab: September 2023 (co-advised by Profs. John Vohs and Raymond Gorte)
Research: Polymer upcycling

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Kathrine Curtin Ph.D.

Graduated From: West Virginia University
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Joined Lab: September 2023 (co-advised by Dr. Misun Hwang) 
Research: Ultrasound-responsive lipid nanoparticles and microbubbles for drug delivery applications

GRADUATE STUDENTS

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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) :)

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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: 🥐

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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 

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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

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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.

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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

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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. 

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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

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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. 

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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

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Christian Hernandez 

Year: Master’s in Bioengineering 2023
Graduated From: California State University Long Beach 
Hometown: Cerritos, California 
Major: Bio Engineering
Joined Lab: Aug 2023
Research: Colloidal arraying by capillary assembly 
Interests: Basketball, Soccer

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Gabriela Gomez-Dopazo

Year: PhD Student

Graduated From: University of Puerto Rico - Cayey

Hometown: Cayey, Puerto Rico

Major: B.S. in Chemistry

Joined Lab: Fall 2023

Interests: Cooking, rock climbing and exploring the city.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

VISITING SCHOLARS

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Jisung Park

Year: Visiting Scholar (2023-2024) 
Graduated From: Inha  University 
Hometown: Daejeon, Republic of Korea
Major: Chemical Engineering
Joined Lab: Sep. 2023
Research: surfactant application (organic-inorganic binding) and surface chemistry
Interests: Reading

VISITING PROFESSOR

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