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Our team

KU-LUNG (KEN) HSU, Ph.D.

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PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR



Associate Professor​
Stephen F. and Fay Evans Martin Endowed Professorship in Chemistry
CPRIT Scholar
Department of Chemistry
University of Texas at Austin
100 E 24th St, Austin, TX 78712
NHB 6.406

Office: 512-232-1764
Lab: 512-232-1764
ken.hsu@austin.utexas.edu
UT Faculty Page 
Click here for complete curriculum vitae


​Awards & Honors
CPRIT Recruitment of Rising Stars

Emerging Leader Award from The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research

NSF CAREER
​
Melanoma Research Alliance Young Investigator Award
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DOD Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Career Development Award 

NIH Pathway to Independence Award

JOIN OUR TEAM
ALUMNI

Lab Manager

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Anting Chen, Ph.D (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Fuzhou, China
Education:
Ph.D. Material Chemistry, Binghamton University
B.S. Macromolecule Material & Engineering, Shandong University
Hobbies: volunteering, music (vocal), crafts
Favorite element: carbon
Email: anting.chen@austin.utexas.edu

Research Scientists

Emily Ayers (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Texas
Education:
B.S. Genetics and Genomics, University of Texas at Austin
Favorite molecule or organism: ribosome
Email: e.ayers@utexas.edu
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​Sagar Vaidya (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? India
Education:
Ph.D. Chemical Sciences, National Chemical Laboratory Pune, India
M.S. Organic Chemistry, University of Pune, India
B.S. Chemistry, University of Pune, India
Hobbies: yoga
Favorite organism or molecule: any chiral molecule
Email: sagar.vaidya@utexas.edu

Postdoctoral Fellows

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R. Justin Grams (2021 - Present)​
Where are you from? Manassas, VA
Education:
Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Virginia Tech
B.S. Biochemistry with Minor in Chemistry, Virginia Tech
Hobbies: running, dogs (I have many)
Favorite organism or molecule: organic molecules containing boron as they are extremely versatile in synthetic organic chemistry and chemical biology!
Email: rjg3473@utexas.edu
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Xiaoding Jiang (2021 - Present)
Where are you from? Hunan, China
Education:
Postdoc., Medicinal Chemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University
M.Med, Pharmaceutical Science, Central South University
B.E. Pharmaceutical Engineering, Hainan University
Hobbies: hiking, running, tennis
Favorite organism or molecule: mystery molecules
​Email: xiaoding.jiang@austin.utexas.edu
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Zhihong Li (2022 - Present)
What are you from? Shaanxi, China
Education:
Ph.D. Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University
M.S. Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University
B.S. Traditional Chinese Pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University
Hobbies: basketball, soccer
Favorite organism or molecule: dopamine
Email: zhihongli@austin.utexas.edu
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Minhaj Shaikh (2021 - Present)
Where are you from? India
Education:
Ph.D. Chemical Biology, IISER Pune
M.S. Savitribai Phule Pune University
B.S. Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University
Hobbies: cricket, badminton, cooking, movies, spending time with friends
Favorite organism or molecule: C24:0 Lysophosphatidylserine (Lyso-PS) 
Email: minhaj.shaikh@austin.utexas.edu
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Neelesh C. Reddy (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? India
Education:
Ph.D. IISER Bhopal
M.S. Deogiri College, Aurangabad
B.S. Deogiri College, Aurangabad
Favorite molecule: nitro-olefins
Email: ncreddyyaschemist12@gmail.com
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Alexis Edwards (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? East TX
Education: 
Ph.D. Analytical Chemistry, Baylor University 
B.S. Chemistry w/ Biochem emphasis, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Hobbies: cross stitch, crochet & quilting!
Email: alexis.edwards@austin.utexas.edu
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Gibae Kim (2024 - Present)
Where are you from? Republic of Korea
Education: 
Ph.D. Medicinal Chemistry, Seoul National University 
B.S. Chemistry Education, Seoul National University
Hobbies: soccer, board games, cooking
Favorite organism or molecule: adenosine
Email: gibae.kim@austin.utexas.edu

Graduate Students

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Michael Founds (2019 - Present)
Where are you from? North Carolina
Education:
​M.S. University of Virginia
B.S. Chemistry, University of North Carolina Asheville
Hobbies: Board games
Favorite organism or molecule: PGE2
Email: mfounds@utexas.edu
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Olivia Murtagh (2020 - Present)
Where are you from? New Orleans, LA
Education:
​M.S. Chemistry, University of Virginia
B.S. Chemistry, Mississippi State University

Hobbies: knitting, movies, hiking
Favorite molecule or organism: My cat, Gizmo
Email: omurtagh@utexas.edu
Madeleine Ware (2021 - Present)
Where are you from? Fredericksburg, VA
Education:

​M.S. University of Virginia
B.S. Biochemistry, Southern Adventist University 
Hobbies: climbing, skiing (all kinds)
Favorite molecule or organism: My dog, Hobbes

Email: mware@utexas.edu
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David Leace (2022 - Present in PhD/MD program)
Where are you from? Philadelphia, PA
Education: 
B.A. Chemistry with Biochemistry Concentration, Washington University in St. Louis
Hobbies: blues guitar, golf
Email: david.leace@austin.utexas.edu
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Payton Lowrey (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? St. Louis, MO
Education: 
B.A. Chemistry, Grinnell College
Hobbies: crocheting, printmaking, volleyball
Favorite organism or molecule: 1-octen-3-one
Email: lowreypa@utexas.edu
Mikayla Horvath (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Doylestown, PA
Education:
​B.S. Chemistry, Bucknell University
Hobbies: running, hiking, reading
Favorite organism or molecule: caffeine
Email: mikaylahorvath@utexas.edu
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Surya Pravo Mookherjee (2023 - Present)
​Where are you from? Kolkata, India
Education: 
M.S. Chemical Sciences, JNCASR Bangalore

B.S. Chemistry, Presidency University, Kolkata
Hobbies: singing, listening to music, cooking
Favorite organism or molecule: vanillin
Email: suryapravo@utexas.edu
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Wes Wolfe (2023 - Present)
​Where are you from? Minnesota
Education: 
B.S. Chemistry, University of St. Thomas
Hobbies: pottery, hiking, tennis, cooking, & board games
Favorite organism or molecule: formic acid
Email: weswolfe@utexas.edu
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Harith Budaraju (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Round Rock, TX
Education:
B.S. Biochemistry, Texas A&M
Hobbies: chess, petting dogs
Favorite organism or molecule: humans
Email: hmbudaraju@utexas.edu
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Yen-Ting Chen (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Taipei, Taiwan
Education:
B.S. Biotechnology, Minor in Applied Chemistry, National Chiao Tung University
Hobbies: baking, karaoke, running
Favorite organism or molecule: antibodies
Email: seuluvyc@utexas.edu
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John Meinert (2024 - Present)
Where are you from? Houston, TX
Education: 
B.S. Physiological Science, B.A. Public Affairs, UCLA

Hobbies: rock climbing, making music
Email: johnmeinert@utexas.edu

Undergraduate Researcher

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John Nita (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Austin, TX
Education: Majoring in Biomedical Engineering
Hobbies: intramural sports and watching "Bake Off!"
Email: jnita@utexas.edu
Ashley Pham (2023 - Present)
Where are you from? Houston, TX
Education: Majoring in Chemistry (2nd year)
Hobbies: basketball, pickleball
Favorite organism or molecule: H2SO4
Email: ashleypham27@utexas.edu
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Benyamin Zilber (2024 - Present)
Where are you from? Austin, TX
Education: Majoring in Chemistry (1st year)
Hobbies: historical and dystopian fiction, baking desserts!
Favorite organism or molecule: benzene
Email: benyamin.zilber@utexas.edu
Darren Shen (2024 - Present)
Where are you from? Dallas, TX
Education: Majoring in Chemistry (3rd year)
Hobbies: drawing
Favorite organism or molecule: DCM
Email: darrenshen@gmail.com
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Benjamin Lin (2024 - Present)
Where are you from? Princeton, NJ
Education: Majoring in Chemical Engineering (1st year)
Hobbies: chess, poker game theory
Favorite organism or molecule: Boc anhydride
Email: bcl2292@utexas.edu​
© Copyright 2015 | Hsu Laboratories | Department of Chemistry | University of Texas at Austin                                                                              Updated 12/14/2023
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