Principal Investigator
Dr. Donna Huryn – Professor of Practice
After receiving her undergraduate Chemistry degree (Cornell University) and Ph.D. degree (University of Pennsylvania, Chemistry), Donna M. Huryn began her career as a medicinal chemist in the pharmaceutical industry (Hoffmann-La Roche & Wyeth Research), and contributed to drug discovery efforts for HIV, cancer, asthma, and CNS disorders with increasing levels of responsibility.
In 2004, she joined academia. She was a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Pharmacy, and until August 2023, when she was appointed Professor of Practice in the Chemistry Department at the University of Pennsylvania.
She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Chemical Society (ACS), recipient of the ACS Philadelphia Local Section Award, Philip S. Portoghese Lectureship, and Garvan-Olin Medal, and was inducted into the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Division Hall of Fame. She has held a number of elected positions at national levels of the ACS and the AAAS, and in the Organic and Medicinal Chemistry Technical Divisions. She is co-author of the textbook Medicinal Chemistry (CRC Press), and served as an Associate Editor of ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters from 2014- 2023. In 2019, she co-founded Empowering Women in Organic Chemistry (EWOC), and continues to serve on the organizing committee.
Contact: huryn@sas.upenn.edu
Graduate Students
Caroline Consoli, G3 (she/her)
Caroline is a third-year PhD student originally from Knoxville, Tennessee. She received her B.S. in chemistry with a minor in physics from Northeastern University in May 2022. At Northeastern, she pursued internships and co-ops at Oak Ridge National Lab, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Bristol Myers-Squibb, and the Manetsch Lab, with most projects at these organizations focusing on medicinal chemistry. Her research interests lie predominantly in the discovery, design, and synthesis of small molecules for medicinal chemistry projects. She is also a recipient of the NSF-GRFP. Currently, she serves as the co-chair for ADSE@Penn (Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering) and is passionate about developing a safe and inclusive graduate school environment in Penn Chemistry. Outside of lab, she loves to bake and decorate layer cakes, and on the weekends, you can often find her reading at one of Philly’s many cozy coffee shops!
Ros Paul, G3 (she/her)
Ros is currently a PhD student, specializing in medicinal chemistry. Her academic journey began with an undergraduate degree in chemistry from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, followed by a master’s degree, also focused on organic chemistry, from the University of Pennsylvania. When she’s not immersed in research, she enjoys playing tennis, traveling to new places, and binge-watching movies. Passionate about science and discovery, she aims to contribute innovative insights within the field of chemistry.
Marcello Ma, G2 (he/him)
Marcello was born in Oxnard, California and earned his B.A. in Chemistry from Cornell University in 2021. While there, he conducted research in ROMP-active polycyclic hydrocarbons under Prof. Peter Wolczanski. In his free time, he enjoys baking, strength training, and trying to keep his gaming laptop just a little bit cooler. Just like him.
Vy Le, G1 (she/her)
Vy is a first-year PhD, originally from Cumberland, Maryland. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Astronomy from the University of Virginia in 2024. During her time at UVA, she worked under Prof. Robert J. Gilliard and conducted research on boron-based heterocycles. In her spare time, she likes to cook, play board/video games, and explore more of Philly’s food scene.
Reece Carew-Lyons, G1 (she/her)
Reece is a first year PhD student from Boston, Massachusetts. She earned her B.A. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Bryn Mawr College in 2023. She did organic chemistry with Dr. Malachowski focused on using Birch reductions and Heck reactions to make bioactive molecules. Post graduation, she worked at GSK for a year doing medicinal chemistry research before coming to Penn. Outside of lab, she enjoys going to concerts, watching football, and drinking coffee.
Eden Balema, G1 (she/her)
Eden is a first-year PhD student from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry with a minor in Computer Science from Dickinson College in 2024. At Dickinson, she worked with Prof. Rebecca Connor in the synthesis and characterization of Hsp-70 inhibitors based on the compound, 2-phenylethynesulfonamide. In her spare time, she enjoys baking, crocheting and exploring new places.
Yuxian (Colin) He, G1 (he/him)
I am currently a first year master student in chemical science program with concentration on organic chemistry. I got my B.S. in pharmacological chemistry with a minor in general biology from University of California, San Diego. I used to work with Dr. Remi Martin-Fardon lab at the Scripps Research Institution on new pharmacological targets for drug addiction and relapse prevention, and Dr. William Gerwick lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography on synthesis natural product drug analog from cyanobacteria. I am interested in natural product analog synthesis and the peptide coupling. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, traveling and watch the BBC documentaries.
Hyojung Kim, G1 (she/her)
Hyojung is a first-year master student from Daegu, South Korea. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from University of Washington. After graduation, she worked with Prof. Gil Tae Hwang at Kyungpook National University focusing on the development of DNA-compatible organic reactions. Outside of lab, she enjoys playing video games and listening to music.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Emma Doukmak (she/her)
Emma is a postdoc with an interest in organic and medicinal chemistry. She completed her doctoral work at Syracuse University with a focus on the chemical biology of neuroreceptors like dopamine and serotonin. She did her undergraduate work at the University of South Florida with a focus on organic synthesis and natural products drug discovery. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, yoga, and trying new foods!
Charity Ganskow (she/her)
Undergraduates
Samantha Martinez, C ’25 (she/her)
Samantha is a fourth-year undergraduate student from Westchester, New York. She is in the College of Arts and Sciences studying Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Chemistry and minoring in Music. She loves organic and medicinal chemistry and has previously conducted research on electronics prototypes for mouse models. On campus, she is a cellist in the Penn Symphony Orchestra and the Managing Director of Williams Cafe, a student-run business under Penn Student Agencies. In her free time, she loves to play the piano in chamber groups!
Julia Gauffreau, C’ 26 (she/her)
Julia is a third-year undergraduate student from Media, Pennsylvania. She is studying biochemistry and chemistry with a sub-matriculation for the master’s degree in Chemistry and a minor in Hispanic studies. Her interests are in synthesis and medical applications in chemistry and previously worked on synthesis of electrocatalyst nanoparticles. She is a singer in the Penn Glee Club, volunteer with Shelter Health Outreach at Penn, and director for Science Olympiad at Penn.