Recent Previous Group Members

Clarissa Sit Graduate Student (2011) Thesis: Structure Elucidation of Thuricin CD, Thurincin H and a Leucocin A Mutant Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Jon Clardy, Dept. of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA Contact:
Alice Chan Graduate Student (2011) Contact:
Wei Liu Postdoctoral Fellow (2009-2011) Current Location: Research Scientist at Toronto Research Chemicals Contact:
Jesse Li Graduate Student (2011) Thesis: Investigation of Highly-Reducing Polyketide Synthase Enzymes that Produce the Fungal Polyketides Lovastatin, Fumonisin B1, and Hypothemycin Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Craig Townsend, Dept. of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Contact:
Sabesan (Jay) Yoganathan Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Lantibiotic Conjugates Targeted at Gram-negative Bacteria and Studies Towards the Total Synthesis of 2-Aminovinyl-Cysteine Containing Peptides Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Scott J. Miller, Dept. of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA Contact:
Hongqiang (Patrick) Liu Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Chemical synthesis and biological evaluation of naturally occurring cyclic peptides and their analogues: Lacticin 3147 A2 and Neopetrosiamides Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Mark Lautens, Chemistry Dept., University of Toronto Contact:
Leah Martin-Visscher Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Examining the structure, function and mode of action of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria Current Location: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, The King's University College, Edmonton, AB Contact:
Miyyapuram Venugopal Rao (Venu) Graduate Student (2010) Thesis: Synthesis and Investigation of Viral Cysteine Protease Inhibitors and Biosynthetic Studies on Subtilosin A Current Location: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alberta -- Contact:
Christine Otter Administrative Assistant Current Location: Retired - and travelling across North America with her husband.
Matthew Clay Postdoctoral Fellow (2006-2008) Current Location: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, St. Mary's University College, Calgary, AB Contact:
Viji Moorthie Postdoctoral Fellow (2006-2008) Current Location: Secondary school teacher, UK Contact:
Marc Boudreau Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Nucleoside Dicarboxylates as Mimics of Diphosphate and Disulfide Bond Replacement in Pediocin PA-1 Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Hagan Bayley, Chemistry Dept, University of Oxford, UK Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Shahriar Mobashery, University of Notre Dame Contact:
Darren Derkesen Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Bacteriocin Analogs and the Analgesic Peptide Crotalphine Previous Location: AHFMR Postdoc with Prof. Ian Paterson, Chemistry Dept, University of Cambridge, UK Current Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Dept, St. Francis Xavier University Contact:
Vijay Pattabiraman Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Chemical Synthesis of Lantibiotics and Their Analogues Current Location: Postdoc with Prof. Jeffrey Bode, Chemistry Dept, ETH Zurich Contact:
Jianmin Zhang Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Design, Synthesis and evaluation of SARS 3C-like Protease Inhibitors Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Marco Ciufolini, Chemistry Dept, University of British Columbia Current Location: Research Scientist at Tranzyme Pharma Contact:
Steven Cobb Postdoctoral Fellow (2007) Current Location: Lecturer, Chemistry Department, University of Durham UK Contact:
Jamie Cote Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Alcohol Dehydrognase Catalyzed Diels Alder Reactions and Synthetic Studies Toward Putative Intermediates in the Post-PKS Transformations of Dihydromonacolin L Previous Location: Postdoc with Prof. Michel Rohmer, University of Strasbourg France Current Location: Laboratory Manager, Hunter Group Ltd., Aurora, ON Contact:
Mitch Flegel Graduate Student (2007) Thesis: Photodecarboxylation of Amino Acids and Synthesis of DAP Analogs to be Tested Against Enzymes Involved in Plant Lysine Biosynthesis Current Location: Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures Contact:
Lara Silkin Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Investigations of Bacteriocins from Lactococcus lactic and Bacillus subtilis Current Location: Real Estate Agent, Edmonton, AB Contact:
Lucas Gursky Postdoctoral Fellow (2006) Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Kevin O'Connor, University College Dublin, Department of Industrial Microbiology, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland Current Location: Univ. of Alberta Medical School, Edmonton, AB Contact:
Douglas Burr Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Studies of the in vitro Activity of Lovastatin Nonaketide Synthase Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Prof. David Sherman, University of Michigan, Life Sciences Institute, Ann Arbor, MI, USA Current Location: Research Scientist, Perkin Elmer, Boston, MA, USA Contact:
Dan Spantulescu Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Synthetic Methods for Diacyl Peroxides and Peresters Derived from Amino Acids and Hydroxy Acids Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Neil Branda, Simon Fraser University, B.C., Canada Current Location: Lab Manager, Glustich Inc, Delta, BC Contact:
Andrew Scholte Graduate Student (2006) Thesis: Chemical Biology Studies of Prenytransferase Enzymes Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Marc Snapper, Boston College USA Current Location: Research scientist at Genzyme (Boston, MA, USA) Contact:
Dr. Chris Diaper Research Associate (2005) Previous Location: Research Scientist at Naeja Ltd (Edmonton AB) Current Location: IP Analyst, TEC, Edmonton, AB Contact:
Jake Stymiest Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Synthesis of Peptide Analogs with Replacement of Sulfur by Carbon: Effects on Biological Activity and Stability Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Varinder Aggarwal, University of Bristol, UK Current Location: Research Scientist at Purdue Pharma (Coventry Site, Rhode Island) Contact:
Karen Kawulka Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Investigations of Bacteriocins from Carnobacterium piscicola, Brocothrix campestris and Bacillus subtilis 2004-2006: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC
Nathaniel I. Martin Graduate Student (2004) Thesis: Pseudoxazolines as Hepatitis A Virus 3C Proteinase Inhibitors and Bacterially Derived Antimicrobial Peptides Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Michael Marletta, UC Berkeley, USA Current Location: Assistant Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands Contact: Webpage: Nathaniel Martin
Dr. Hanna Pettersson (Wallentin) Postdoctoral Fellow (2004) Previous Location: Research Scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital Current Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Dr. Peter Mundel, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA Contact:
Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: Inhibitors Acting on Bacterial Cell Walls 2003-2006: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Christopher T. Walsh, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Current Location: John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Research Assistant Professor in the Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, USA Contact:
Mike Pollard Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: Synthetic Studies on Cytochrome P450 Mimics Previous Location: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Ben L. Feringa, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Previous Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Deceased
John Sorensen Graduate Student (2003) Thesis: The Assembly and Elaboration of Lovastatin 2003-2006: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Christopher J. Schofield, Oxford University, UK Current Location: Assistant Professor, Chemistry Department, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Contact: Webpage: John Sorensen
Yeeman Ramtohul Graduate Student (2002) Thesis: Design, Synthesis and Testing of Hepatitis A Virus 3C Proteinase Inhibitors Previous Locations: Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Brian M. Stoltz, Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, California, USA Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research, Montreal, QC, Canada Current Location: Research Scientist, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Laval, QC, Canada Contact:

Complete list of former graduate students and group members (pdf)