Principal Investigator
Professor Chaitan Khosla
Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Director of the Stanford Innovative Medicines Accelerator
Professor, Departments of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
khosla@stanford.edu
https://chemistry.stanford.edu/people/chaitan-khosla
Lab Manager
Susan Haskins
Administrative Assistant
shaskins@stanford.edu
Postdoctoral Associates
Dr. Jinping Yang
jinping.yang@stanford.edu
I obtained my B.S. in Chemistry from Xiamen University in 2018. During my graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis, I conducted research in the field of natural product biosynthesis, under the mentorship of Professor Wencewicz. Upon successfully completing my Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2023, I joined the Khosla lab, where my research is focused on unraveling the molecular basis of celiac disease. Outside the lab, I find joy in traveling, hiking, playing the piano, and reading.
Dr. Fu Chen Yang
fcyang@stanford.edu
I completed my Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan. I joined the Khosla Lab in 2021, working on the celiac project using the small molecule probe of the TG2 active site to study the PK/PD in mice. Outside of lab, I enjoy running, hiking, and exploring Natural Parks.
Dr. Ricardo Hernandez Arriaza
arriaza@stanford.edu
As an undergrad, I played Division I college soccer at Presbyterian college, where I obtained a dual degree in biochemistry and computational biology. I conducted my Ph.D. under the guidance of Professor Chruszcz, starting at the University of South Carolina and finishing at Michigan State University. I am applying my expertise on protein chemistry and structural biology to start a new line of research in the lab related to Alzheimer’s disease. Outside the lab, I like playing sports, travelling, and trying new restaurants.
Dr. Lin Liu
linliu1@stanford.edu
I finished my undergraduate study in general chemistry at Shandong Normal University in 2014. Later, I continued to my master’s studies in organic chemistry at Lanzhou University. In 2018, I moved to Baylor University conducting research under the mentorship of Professor John L. Wood. During my graduate studies, I mainly focused on the total syntheses of natural products. In 2024, I joined the Khosla lab and Cui lab as a joint postdoc. Outside the lab, I like cooking, playing basketball, and watching movies.
Dr. Antonio Del Rio Flores
adelrio1@stanford.edu
I received dual B.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biochemical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. I completed my Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley under the guidance of Wenjun Zhang. My expertise lies in natural product biosynthesis and mechanistic enzymology, but my main focus in the Khosla lab is to study and identify the biological role of NOCAP with regards to nocardiosis. Outside of the laboratory, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and being a foodie.
Graduate Students
Elise Loppinet
Department of Chemical Engineering
Sixth Year Graduate Student
eliselop@stanford.edu
I completed my undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the National Technical University of Athens in Greece in 2018. I joined the Khosla lab in 2019, working on understanding how gluten peptides are processed and presented on MHC-II in the context of celiac disease. Outside of the lab I enjoy scuba diving, collecting plants, baking and traveling as much as I can!
Harrison Besser
MSTP/Department of Chemistry
Fourth Year Graduate Student
hbesser@stanford.edu
I’m Harrison, a 5th year in the MD/PhD program at Stanford and a 3rd year in the Khosla lab. I ended up on the west coast after graduating from Harvard in 2017 where I did research in the Jacobsen lab on developing new NMR methods to measure kinetic isotope effects. In the Khosla lab, I synthesize novel small molecule inhibitors and probes of transglutaminase 2 to study its role in celiac disease pathogenesis. Outside of the lab, I love cooking, climbing, and trying new restaurants.
Alex Soohoo
Department of Chemical Engineering
Fourth Year Graduate Student
asoohoo8@stanford.edu
Hi! I was born and raised in LA, and stayed closed to home when I did my undergrad at UCLA. While at UCLA, I was lucky to work in Yi Tang’s lab in the chemical engineering department. I work on the PKS side of the Khosla lab, both on fundamental understanding of PKSs and also work on some interesting natural products. I’m an avid Lakers and Kpop fan, and I also like board games and superhero movies.
Agnele Sewa
Department of Biochemistry
Fourth Year Graduate Student
asewa@stanford.edu
I’m a 3rd year PhD student in the biochemistry department. My studies focus on the protein-protein interactions that regulate the endocytosis of peptide bound Transglutaminase 2 in the presence of Alpha-2 Macroglobulin and its receptor, LRP1. I’m from Lomé, Togo and was raised in Atlanta, GA. I was an Atlanta Posse Scholar, and graduated from Brandeis University in 2020. Outside of the lab, I enjoy designing logos, exploring restaurants, and completing DIY projects.
Nina Fatuzzo
Department of Chemistry
Third Year Graduate Student
nfatuzzo@stanford.edu
Hi! I graduated from the University of Chicago in 2021 with a B.S. in chemistry. As an undergraduate, I studied palladium/norbornene cooperative catalysis in the Dong lab. As a graduate student in the Khosla lab, I now study the metabolism of acetyl-L-carnitine, an interesting precursor to acetyl-CoA. Outside of lab, I like to drink hot chocolate, run, and I’m learning how to be a better cook!
Shreya Kishore
Department of Chemistry
Third Year Graduate Student
kshreya@stanford.edu
I graduated with a BS in Chemistry and a biochemistry concentration from Haverford College. I worked in the Whalen lab, screening marine bacterial natural products for effluent pump inhibitory activity. In the Khosla lab, I work on the NOCAP synthase PKS cluster, decoding its fully decorated product as well as understanding its role in nocardiosis pathogenesis. Outside of lab, I love cooking, hanging out with friends, going on long walks/hikes and dancing!
Krystal Brodsky
Department of Chemistry
Third Year Graduate Student
klbrod@stanford.edu
Hey y’all! I graduated from Caltech with a B.S. in Chemistry and minor in Biology. At Caltech, I studied nuclear pore complex proteins in the Hoelz lab. In the Khosla lab, I am interested in understanding the dynamics of assembly-line polyketide synthases. I was raised in Seattle, so I love a good cup of coffee, but for some reason I don’t own a rain coat. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, skiing and traveling!
Ace Aguilar
Second Year, Postbac Program in Target Discovery
raaguila@stanford.edu
I graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Chemical Biology and minor in Bioengineering. I did research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where I developed chemical methods to recycle waste biopolymers. In the Khosla Lab, I work on natural products. My main goals are to elucidate the structure of a novel antibiotic and derivatize natural products into more potent antibiotics. When I’m not in lab you’ll find me playing volleyball, at a concert, cooking, or baking!
Undergraduate Researchers
Stefan Velculescu
Undergraduate in Department of Chemistry
Mentored by Nina Fatuzzo
svelcul1@stanford.edu
Khanh Nguyen
Undergraduate in Department of Chemistry
Mentored by Alex Soohoo
nguyenpk@stanford.edu
Hope Eleanor Jee-Ae Walton
Undergraduate in Department of Chemical Engineering
Mentored by Antonio Del Rio Flores
hope2024@stanford.edu
Former Postdocs and Graduate Students
Name | Pre or Post Doc | Start Year | End Year | Current Position |
Cogan, Dillon | Post | 2019 | 2023 | Professor, University of Southern California |
Mashayekh, Siavash | Post | 2021 | 2023 | |
Hsu, Jake | Pre | 2017 | 2022 | Scientist, Genentech |
Privalsky, Tom | Pre | 2015 | 2022 | Postdoc, Northeastern University in Lewis Lab |
Guzman, Katarina | Pre | 2018 | 2022 | Lecturer, Stanford Chemical Engineering Department |
Weng, Nielson | Pre | 2013 | 2022 | Resident in Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School |
Nivina, Aleks | Post | 2017 | 2022 | Scientist, Codexis |
Melkonian, Arek | Pre | 2013 | 2021 | Resident in Clinical Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School |
Keinle, Maryline (Dong) | Post | 2020 | 2021 | Manager, project & research operations, Clear Creek Bio |
Stunkard, Lee | Post | 2020 | 2021 | Senior Scientist, Cogent Biosciences Inc. |
Yuet, Kai | Post | 2016 | 2020 | Scientist I at Synthorx – A Sanofi Company |
Gupta, Amita | Pre | 2015 | 2020 | Life Sciences Specialist, LEK Consulting |
Zhuang, Ruize (Ray) | Pre | 2015 | 2020 | Scientist, Abbvie (CA) |
Palanski, Brad | Pre | 2012 | 2019 | Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School |
Erazo, Kevin | Pre | 2016 | 2019 | Grad Student, Snyder lab, Stanford |
Li, Xiuyuan | Pre | 2013 | 2019 | Postdoc, Harvard University |
Sankar,Karthik | Pre | 2014 | 2019 | Postdoc, MIT; Faculty at Purdue University |
Liu, Qi | Post | 2017 | 2019 | Scientist, Abbvie |
Yi, Michael | Pre | 2012 | 2018 | Senior Scientist, Syncopation Life Sciences |
El Gamal, Abrahim | Post | 2017 | 2018 | Scientist, Abalone Bio in Emeryville |
Ostrowski, Matt | Pre | 2012 | 2017 | Postdoc, University of Michigan |
Liu, Yu-Chen | Post | 2015 | 2017 | Senior Scientist at Exelixis |
Plugis, Nick | Pre | 2012 | 2016 | Principal, Flagship Pioneer |
Xiao, Xirui | Pre | 2012 | 2016 | Jefferies & Co |
Kuo, James | Pre | 2012 | 2016 | Infectious Disease Group, Genentech |
Robbins, Thomas | Pre | 2012 | 2016 | IB Chemistry and Chemistry Teacher at Northfield High School in Denver Colorado |
Deans, Richard | Pre | 2013 | 2016 | Manager, Finance and Accounting at Aravive, Inc., Morrisville, NC |
Hilmer, Andrew | Post | 2014 | 2016 | Sr. Manager, Strategic Alliances, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals |
Okesli, Ayse | Post | 2014 | 2016 | Scientist I, Biology, Gilead |
Yeung, Jessica (Li) | Pre | 2014 | 2016 | Manager, Intel Corporation |
Goswami, Anwesha | Post | 2015 | 2016 | Postdoc, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy |
Dunn, Briana | Pre | 2009 | 2015 | Associate Director of Corporate Development, Curie Therapeutics |
Lowry, Brian | Pre | 2010 | 2015 | Senior Scientist II, Engineering, Abbvie |
Zaleta, Kathia | Post | 2013 | 2015 | ThermoFisher |
Kloeck, Cornelius | Pre | 2008 | 2014 | McKinsey, Munich |
May, Aaron Elijah | Post | 2010 | 2014 | Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University |
Watts, Katharine (Barncastle) | Post | 2011 | 2014 | Cal Poly |
Edwards, Andrea | Post | 2012 | 2014 | Senior Scientist, Inscripta, Inc. |
O’Brien, Robert | Post | 2012 | 2014 | Research Scientist, Impossible Foods |
DiRaimondo, Tommy | Pre | 2008 | 2013 | Director of Research, Janux Therapeutics |
Jin, Xi | Pre | 2007 | 2012 | independent investor, co-founder of a small asset mgmt. company |
Holmes, Tracy | Pre | 2005 | 2012 | Business Development Manager, Meridian Bioscience |
Harvey, Colin | Pre | 2006 | 2012 | Head of Biology and Chemistry, Hexagon Bio |
Fitzgerald, Jay | Pre | 2007 | 2012 | Chief Scientist, Bioenergy Technologies Office, Dept. of Energy |
Charkoudian, Louise | Post | 2008 | 2012 | Professor, Haverford College |
Yu, Xingye | Pre | 2008 | 2012 | Solazyme |
Wang, Fong Tian | Pre | 2007 | 2012 | Research Scientist, Molecular Engineering Laboratory, Singapore |
Kapur, Shiven | Pre | 2006 | 2011 | Senior Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company |
Dafik, Laila | Post | 2008 | 2011 | Project Management CMC, Regulatory Affairs, at BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc |
Li, Weiwei | Post | 2011 | 2011 | Patent Agent |
Liu, Tiangang | Post | 2008 | 2010 | Professor, Wuhan University |
Szu, Ping-Hui (Grace) | Post | 2008 | 2010 | Senior Scientist, CS-Bay Therapeutics, Inc |
Lee, Younjoo | Post | 2009 | 2010 | Korean Patent Office |
Yuzawa, Satoshi | Post | 2009 | 2010 | Project Assistant Professor Institute for Advanced Biosciences Keio University |
Moron Flores, Belen | Post | 2007 | 2010 | Postdoc, Oxford University |
Bethune, Michael | Pre | 2004 | 2009 | Director of Discovery Research, Syncopation Life Sciences |
Ehren, Jennifer | Pre | 2004 | 2009 | Lecturer, University of Notre Dame |
Pinkas, Dan | Pre | 2004 | 2009 | Professor, Loyola University Andalucia, Spain |
Ridley, Christian | Post | 2004 | 2009 | Gingko Bioworks |
Vora, Harmit | Pre | 2004 | 2009 | Executive Director, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. |
Das, Abhirup | Pre | 2005 | 2009 | Associate Director, Research at Tranquis Therapeutics |
Forteschi, Mauro | Pre | 2008 | 2008 | Graduate student, University of Sassari |
Tang, Yinyan | Pre | 2002 | 2008 | University of California, San Francisco |
Chen, Yu-Chieh (Alice) | Pre | 2003 | 2008 | Accelerator Corporation |
Lee, Ho Young | Pre | 2003 | 2008 | Genentech |
Lu, Xuefeng | Post | 2006 | 2008 | Qingdao Institute for Bioprocessing and Bioenergy |
Siegel, Matthew | Pre | 2002 | 2007 | Ardelyx |
Schnarr, Nathan | Post | 2004 | 2007 | Faculty, University of Massachusetts, Amherst |
Alekseyev, Viktor | Pre | 2001 | 2006 | Staff Scientist, Genencor, Inc. |
Lee, Taek Soon | Pre | 2001 | 2006 | Lawrence Berkeley Labs |
Rude, Mathew | Pre | 2001 | 2006 | Amunix |
Watts, Eray | Pre | 2001 | 2006 | Insitro |
Xia, Jiang | Pre | 2002 | 2006 | Chinese University of Hong Kong |
Gass, Jonathan | Pre | 2003 | 2006 | Merck |
Mobashery, Niloufar | Post | 2003 | 2006 | Global Strategy Lead, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals |
Kim, Chu-Young | Post | 2001 | 2005 | Faculty, Univ. of Texas at El Paso |
Choi, Kihang | Post | 2003 | 2005 | Faculty, Korea University |
Tse, Martha Lovato | Post | 2003 | 2005 | Director, Group Head Technical Product Management, Pipeline, Genentech |
Kumar, Pawan | Pre | 1999 | 2004 | VP Technical Operations, Federation Bio |
Boddy, Christopher | Post | 2001 | 2004 | Faculty, University of Ottawa |
Watanabe, Kenji | Post | 2001 | 2004 | Professor, University of Shizuoka |
Koppisch, Andrew | Post | 2002 | 2004 | Faculty, North Arizona University |
Tang, Yi | Post | 2004 | 2004 | Faculty, University of California, Los Angeles |
Piper, Justin | Pre | 1999 | 2004 | Cardinal |
Shan, Lu | Pre | 1999 | 2004 | Denali Therapeutics |
Hartung, Ingo | Post | 2003 | 2004 | Merck |
Li, Qing | Pre | 1998 | 2003 | |
Liou, Grace | Pre | 1998 | 2003 | Staff Scientist, NIH |
Tsai, Sheryl | Post | 1999 | 2003 | Faculty, University of California, Irvine |
Wang, Clay | Post | 2001 | 2003 | Faculty, University of Southern California |
Hans, Marcus | Post | 2000 | 2003 | DSM |
Kobayashi, Seiji | Post | 2000 | 2003 | Faculty, Kitasato University |
Hotta, Kinya | Post | 2001 | 2003 | Business Manager at Genetech Biotechnology, Pte. Ltd. Singapore |
Pfeifer, Blaine | Pre | 1997 | 2002 | Faculty, University of Buffalo |
Wu, Nicholas | Pre | 1998 | 2002 | Clearbridge Investors |
Hausch, Felix | Post | 2000 | 2002 | Professor, Technical University Darmstadt |
Parrot-Smietana, Isabelle | Post | 2000 | 2001 | Faculty, University of Montpellier, France |
Marti, Thomas | Post | 1999 | 2001 | Senior Consultant, EVU Partners AG |
Schuetz, Rolf | Post | 2000 | 2001 | Staff Scientist, Pentapharm Inc. |
Meadows, Eric | Post | 1999 | 2001 | VP Scientific Development, Ciox Health |
Lau, Janice | Pre | 1995 | 2000 | VP Strain Development, Corbion |
Tsuji, Stuart | Pre | 1995 | 2000 | University of Hawai Cancer Center |
Salomon, Arthur | Pre | 1996 | 2000 | Brown University |
Dreier, Juerg | Post | 1997 | 2000 | Basilea |
Hu, Zhihao (Karl) | Post | 1997 | 2000 | CFO, Aton, Inc., RWC, CA |
Pohl, Nicola | Post | 1997 | 2000 | Faculty, Indiana University |
Chiu, Hsien Tai | Post | 1998 | 2000 | Faculty, National Chiao Tung Unviersity |
Lombo, Felipe | Post | 1998 | 2000 | Faculty, University of Oviedo |
Admiraal, Suzanne | Post | 1999 | 2000 | Senior Research Lab Specialist, University of Michigan Medical School |
Gokhale, Rajesh | Post | 1996 | 1999 | Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research |
Hunziker, Daniel | Post | 1997 | 1999 | Sr. Principal Scientist, F. Hoffmann-La Roche |
Fujie, Akihiko | Post | 1998 | 1999 | Astellas |
Burson, Kim | Pre | 1996 | 1998 | Denali Therapeutics |
Shigeta, Ron | Post | 1997 | 1998 | Co-Founder at Biomatica, Founding Partner – Berkeley BioLabs |
Zawada, Robert | Pre | 1994 | 1998 | Director of Assay Development and Service Projects Manager at BioAssay Systems |
Carreras, Christopher | Post | 1995 | 1997 | Prolynx |
Jacobsen, John | Post | 1995 | 1997 | Chief Scientific Officer, DICE Therapeutics |
Kao, Camilla | Pre | 1992 | 1997 | |
Pieper, Rembert | Post | 1993 | 1997 | Sr. Principal Scientist, Janssen Pharmaceuticals |
Kramer, Peter | Pre | 1994 | 1996 | Lead Director, Manufacturing Science and Technology at Hospira |
McDaniel, Robert | Pre | 1992 | 1995 | Program Lead, R&D, Grail, Menlo Park, CA |
Fu, Hong | Post | 1993 | 1995 | Sr. Scientist at Kosan Biosciences |
Bedford, David | Post | 1993 | 1994 | Freelance Writer |