Group Picture October 2024
From left to right: (back row) Parker, Maggie, Joey, Jiaxing; (middle row) Rebecca, Nanqing, Nasrin, Benjamin, Dominique; (front row) Prof Aristilde, Kelly, Pandeeswari, Aurore, Nanqing, Norah, Cara.
Follow these links for details on Principal Investigator and alumni.
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Ludmilla Aristilde, Ph.D.
Faculty Profile at Northwestern University
2019–Present, (Tenured) Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, (by courtesy) Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and (by courtesy) Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University
2024–Present, REU Co-Director, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University
2023–Present, Faculty Affiliate, Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, Northwestern University
2021–Present, Faculty Affiliate, International Institute of Nanotechnology, Northwestern University
2020–Present, Core faculty, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University
Faculty Profile at Cornell University
2019–2023, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
2018–2019, (Tenured) Associate Professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
2012–2018, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
2017, Invited Professor by the Université Grenoble-Alpes, Institut des Sciences de la Terre, Grenoble, France
2015, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future Faculty Fellow
Contact Information:
Northwestern University
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
Nanqing Zhou, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2022-Present
Ph.D. Marine Biosciences, University of Delaware, 2022
M.Sc. Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, 2017
B.S. Environmental Science, University of Science and Technology of China, 2014
Research Interests: Understanding how microbes use different carbon sources and applying this metabolic knowledge for sustainable energy solutions.
Research Topics: Use isotope tracers and multi-omics techniques to elucidate carbon fluxes in biotechnologically relevant soil bacteria.
Pandeeswari Jeeva, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2022-Present
Ph.D. Metabolic Engineering, Department of Biotechnology, India Institute of Technology, 2022
M.Tech. Biopharmaceutical Technology, Anna University, Chennai, India, 2011
B.Tech. Biotechnology, Anna University, Chennai, India, 2009
Research Interests: Rewiring metabolic pathways to enhance microbial production of value-added products.
Research Topics: Investigating the metabolic pathways involved in converting lignocellulose derivatives in wild-type and engineered strains of soil bacteria.
Nasrin Naderi Beni, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
Ph.D. Civil Engineering with Environmental Engineering Specialization, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023
M.S. Civil Engineering with Environmental Engineering Specialization, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2019
B.S. AmirKabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, 2016
Research Interests: Molecular-scale reactivity of micro and nanoplastics; Interactions of plastics with contaminants.
Research Topics: Surface reactivity of native and transformed plastics.
Benjamin Barrios Cerda, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Ph.D. Environmental Engineering, Michigan Technological University, 2023
M.S. Materials Center, Advanced Materials Research Center, 2019
B.S. Chemistry, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico, 2016
Research Interests: Reaction Mechanisms of Environmental Processes.
Research Topics: Catalysis and transformation of Biomolecules at Mineral Interfaces.
RESEARCH ASSISTANTS AND TECHNICIANS
Rebecca Wilson
Research Assistant, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-2024
Research technician, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-2024
B.S. Environmental Science, Northwestern University, 2023
Research Interests: Fate of dissolved organic matter, Environmental Metabolomics.
Research Topics: Metabolomics of agricultural productivity.
Kelly Teitel
Research Technician 2024-Present
B.S. Biological Sciences, Northwestern University, Class of 2025
Research Interests: Carbon metabolism in biotechnologically relevant environmental bacteria.
Research Topics: Metabolomics and cellular physiology of Pseudomonas species.
Ph.D. GRADUATE STUDENTS
Jade Basinski
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2019-Present
B.S. Chemistry, New York University Shanghai, China, 2019
Research Interests: To study different methods of increasing soil nutrient content and availability to improve agriculture productivity.
Research Topic: Soil carbon transformation through mineral catalysis and microbial metabolism.
Jiaxing Wang
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2020-Present
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 2020
B.S. Environmental Science, Dalian University of Technology, China, 2018
Research Interests: Application of metabolomics to understand fate of organic compounds in ecosystems and improve environmental monitoring.
Research Topics: Molecular biomarkers in natural organic matter; molecular chemistry of natural organic matter.
Aurore Niyitanga Manzi
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2022-Present
M.S. Geological Sciences, Texas Christian University, 2022
B.S. Environmental Science, Texas Christian University, 2019
Research Interests: Elucidating the mechanisms in organic-mineral interactions and the controlling role of these interactions in environmental and industrial processes.
Research Topics: Probing the catalytic properties of mineral oxides in nutrient recycling and recovery.
Norah Chen
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023
B.S. Environmental Science, Nankai University, China, 2022
Research Interests: Application of proteomics and metabolomics to study bacterial degradation pathways and exploration of industrial applicability of degradation products.
Research Topic: Quantitative analysis of microbial catabolism of plastics products.
Cara Flynn
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, , 2024-Present
B.S. Biochemistry, McGill University, Canada, 2024
Research Interests: Understanding microbial metabolism, idnentify mechanisms in bioconversion and bioremediation.
Research Topic: Microbial catabolism of plastics derivatives and production of value-addded compounds.
Dominique Kelly
Ph.D. Student, Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Co-advised with Prof. Maggdalena (Maggie) Osburn, EEPS
B.A. Environmental Science and Policy, Smith College, 2022
Research Interests: Understanding mechanisms of microbial adaptation to nutrient stress during nutrient cycling and acquisition under different environmental conditions.
Research Topic: Using metabolomics and lipidomics techniques to evaluate the impact of nutrient availability and carbon source in bacteria.
Parker Deptula
Ph.D. Student, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Co-advised with Prof. George Wells, CEE
B.S. Environmental Engineering, Clarkson University, 2023
Research Interests: Understanding microbial metabolisms for optimization of Carbon and nutrient recovery systems.
Research Topic: Multi-omics analysis of microbial storage-polymer cycling under varying environmental conditions.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Kelly Teitel
Biological Sciences, Northwestern University, 2022-Present
Class of 2025
Research Topic: Plastics biodegradation; Waste carbon metabolism.
Lynna Deng
Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
Class of 2025
Research Topic: Bacterial carbon metabolism.
Joey Brogan
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2023-Present
Class of 2025
Research Topic: Imaging bacterial vesicles
James Belgrave
Environmental Studies and Black Studies, Amherst College. Class of 2026
REU student, Northwestern Center for Synthetic Biology, 2024-Present
Research Topic: Bacterial utilization of lignin compounds
Maggie Schneider
Biological Science, Northwestern University, 2024-Present
Class of 2026
Research Topic: Mechanisms of nutrient-cycling enzymes
ALUMNI
Postdoctoral Researchers and Visiting Scholars
Hayley Gadol, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 – 2022. Next Position: Environmental Chemistry, Gradient.
Rebecca Wilkes, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2021 – 2022. Next Position: Postdoctoral Researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Greg Beckham’s group).
Bahareh Hassanpour Guilvaiee, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2019 – 2022. Next Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Earth Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
Wiriya Thongsomboon, Postdoctoral Researcher, 2019 – 2021. Next Position: Faculty at Mahasarakham University, Thailand.
Annaleise Klein, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2016 – 2020. Next Position: Scientist at the Australian Synchotron
Eleanor Bakker Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2018 – 2019. Next Position: Postdoc at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)
Krista Barzen-Hanson Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2017. Next position: Assistant Professor, Elmira College, Elmira, NY
Cloelle Danforth, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar, 2016 – 2017. Current Position: Fellow at Environmental Defense Fund
Hua Wei, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012 – 2014. Next position: Research Chemist at 3M, St Paul, Minnesota
Baoquan Xie, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher, 2012 – 2013. Next position: postdoc at KAUST-CU Center for Energy and Sustainability, Cornell University
Ph.D. Graduate Student Researchers
Caroll Mendonca, Ph.D. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2022. (Cornell University) Current position: Biotech Engineer, Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc
Mina Solhtalab, Ph.D. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2022, Cornell University). Current Position: Associate Scientist, Illumina.
Rebecca Wilkes, Ph.D. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2021, Cornell University. Current Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, National Renewable Energy Lab.
Sabrina Kelch, Ph.D. in Soil and Crop Sciences, 2021, Cornell University. Next Position: Lab Operations Coordinator at the Mars Wrigley One Science & Technology Lab.
PhD. Rotation Students
Stefan Pate, IBIS Rotation Student, Spring 2023. (Northwestern University)
Arushi Kapoor, Graduate student, 2022-2023. (Northwestern University)
Tyler Pozan, Graduate student, 2020-2021. (Northwestern University)
Taojunfeng Su, IBIS Rotation Student, Winter 2020. (Northwestern University)
Trevor Cross, Microbiology Rotation Student, 2017-2018.(Cornell University)
Sean Murphy, Microbiology Rotation Student, August-November 2017.(Cornell University)
M.S. Graduate Student Researchers
Ojaswi Aryal, M.S. in Environmental Engineering, 2022. (Northwestern University)
Wenting Li, M.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Northwestern University)
Michael Glazer, M.S. in Civil and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Cornell University)
Yeonsoo Park, M.S. in Biological and Biological Engineering, 2021. (Cornell University) Next Position: Research Technician at Northwestern University.
Caroll Mendonca, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017. (Cornell University) Next position: Research Technician, Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University
Tracy Youngster, M.S. in Soil and Crop Sciences, 2017. (Cornell University) Next position: Ph.D. student in Soil Ecology at Rutgers University
Julie Wushensky, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017.(Cornell University) Next position: Research Associate at Beyond Meat.
Matthew Kukurugya, M.S. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2017.(Cornell University) Next position: Bioanalytical Research Associate at Calico Labs.
Fanny Okaikue-Woodi, M.Eng. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2016. (Cornell University) Current position: Ph.D. Student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Washington.
David Flannelly, M.S. in Environmental Toxicology, 2015. (Cornell University) Next position: Teaching Certificate Program at Ithaca College.
Johnny Huynh, M.Eng. in Environmental Engineering, 2015. (Cornell University) Next position: Chemist at Aerojet Rocketdyne.
Ed Park, Research Trainee/Student Spring 2014-Winter 2015
Samantha Sasnow, M.S. in Biological and Environmental Engineering, 2014. (Cornell University) Next position: Engineer at CRA (Conestoga-Rovers & Associates)
Amy Pochodylo M.S. in Environmental Toxicology, 2014. (Cornell University) Current position: Teaching license candidate in Integrative Science at Otterbein University
Research Technicians
Eva Durance, Research technician: 2023-2024. Next position: Microbiology Technician, Nature’s Fynd
Yeonsoo Park, Research technician: 2021-2022. Next position: Ph.D.student, California Institute of Technology
Sarah Madarshahian, 2017-2018
Paloma Spina, Research technician: May 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014-2016. Next position: Engineering Intern at Anchor QEA Engineering Firm
Michael Reed, Research technician: 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2015-2016. Next position: Graduate student in Biotechnology at Northwestern University
Fanny Okaikue-Woodi, Research technician: August 2016-April 2017. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014.
Sabrina Kelch, Research technician: 2016. Next position: joined the group as a graduate student in Soil and Crop Sciences, Cornell University
Stephen Galdi, Research technician: 2016. Undergraduate Researcher: 2014-2016. Next position: Ph.D. student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University
Thalia Aoki, Research technician: 2015. Undergraduate Researcher: 2013-2015.
Undergraduate Researchers
Marcos Sanchez, 2023-2024.
Cynthia Cheng, 2021-2023. Honors Thesis
Rebecca Wilson, 2022-2023
Edgar Castaneda, 2023 REU Summer Intern (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Allison Spring, 2020-2022. Honors Thesis
Bridget Childs, 2018-2019
Shreya Vaidya, 2018-2019
Irene Sarri, 2017-2019
Anne Werner, 2017-2019
Reid Balkind, 2016-May 2018
Zoe Maisel, 2016-May 2017
Valerie Katz, 2016-May 2017
Michael Reed, 2015-2016
Paloma Spina, 2014-2016
Juan Guzman, 2015-2016
Stephen Galdi, 2014-2016
Clayton Sasaki, 2016
Thalia Aoki, 2013-2015
Sho Yoshitake, 2013-2015. Honors Thesis
Fanny Okaikue, 2014
Kate Duffy, 2014
Meryl Kruskopf, 2014
Theresa Chu, 2014
Michelle Bowen, 2014
Ed Sharood, 2014
Suzy Struckman, 2014
Rachel Whiteheart, 2013
Micaella Zubkov, 2014
Carolyn Strock, 2013
Michelle Walther, 2013
High-School Student Interns
Tyler Alexander, 2022-2023.
Rohan Sharma, 2023-2024.