Members

Principal Investigator

Niren Murthy
nmurthy@berkeley.edu

Dr. Niren Murthy is a professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Murthy received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in Seattle in Bioengineering in 2001, and then did Postdoctoral research at U.C. Berkeley in Chemistry from 2001-2003. He started his academic career at Georgia Tech in 2003 and in 2012 moved back to U.C. Berkeley. Dr. Murthy’s laboratory is an interdisciplinary laboratory that focuses on the development of new materials for drug delivery and molecular imaging. Murthy laboratory has developed several new biomaterials and imaging agents, such as the maltodextrin based imaging agents, which are focused on improving the treatment and diagnosis of infectious diseases. In addition, Murthy laboratory has developed numerous reagents for detecting radical oxidants, such as the hydrocyanines.

Postdoctoral Fellows

Dengpan Liang
liangdengpan@berkeley.edu

2016 Bachelor of Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, China
Pharmaceutical University
2022 PhD, Biopharmaceutics, University of the Pacific

Joined Murthy group: January 2023

My current research focuses on design and development of gene delivery
systems with organ specificity, controlled release, and lower side
effects.

Rohit Sharma

rohit.sharma@berkeley.edu

PhD: University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras, San Juan, PR. 2018 (PI, Kai Griebenow)

Area of research: Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Postdoctoral Researcher: Comprehensive Cancer Center San Juan, PR. 2019-2021 (PI, Pablo Vivas-Mejia)

Area of research: Genome editing (CRISPR-cas9) technology to study biological roles of protein in ovarian cancer cells, Nanoparticle-based formulation for drug delivery, Applied molecular biology, Noncoding RNAs in glioblastoma

Joined Murthy group: August 2021

Current research: I am working on ligation strategies of oligonucleotides and the delivery of therapeutics using solid-lipid nanoparticles. I am also collaborating with Wilson’s lab on brain editing projects to study various formulations of ribonucleoprotein (RNPs).

Hema Choudhary
hema994@berkeley.edu
Bachelor of Technology: Chemical Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar India
PhD: University of Maryland College Park, USA
Joined Murthy group: August 2022
Research focus: I am developing polymer nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. I am also fabricating new microfluidic devices to make smaller lipid nanoparticles and microgels for encapsulating and delivering large biomolecules.

Hesong Han
hanhesong@berkeley.edu

2017 PhD, Molecular and Genetics biology.            

Joined Murthy group: January 2018

I am working on several different projects, from protein evolution to drug screening. Most of my work is based on cell biology and animal model.

Kundansingh Pardeshi

kapardeshi@berkeley.edu

June 2008 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Dr. BAM University, Auranagabad

July 2010 Master of Science in Organic Chemistry, Dr. BAM University, Auranagabad

Oct 2018 PhD, Medicinal Chemistry, (PI. Prof. Harinath Chakrapani), IISER Pune

Jan 2021 Postdoc Photo responsive delivery of therapeutics (PI. Prof. Pradeep Singh), IIT-KGP

Joined Prof Murthy’s Lab in Feb 2021 at the department of bioengineering, UC Berkeley

My current research work in Prof. Murthy’s lab is focused on development of efficient and promising methods for the delivery of mRNA, siRNA, Antisense oligonucleotides and Proteins. Also, I have keen interest in developing the therapeutics for infectious diseases. Enjoining very much my stint as a postdoc with Prof. Murthy. My hobbies are playing chess, trekking, watching cricket, football, some good movies and listening to music.

Sheng Zhao

sheng-zhao@berkeley.edu

2014 Bachelor of Science, Pharmaceutical Engineering, Zhengzhou University

2020 PhD, Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University

Joined Murthy group: August 2021

My current research focuses on developing new molecules and materials for mRNA stabilization and drug delivery overcoming anti-infectious or anti-viral.

Yalin Qi

June 2022 PhD, School of Life Science, Nanjing University

Joined Murthy group: March 2023

Graduate Students

Teena Bajaj
bajajtiya@berkeley.edu

2015 Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, Delhi University
2017 Master of Science, Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences
Started PhD, UC Berkeley: Fall 2017

My research work in the Murthy lab focuses on improving mRNA-based therapeutics.

Undergraduate Students

Bernardus Edgar William

I am currently an undergraduate bioengineering major. My research involves gene and drug delivery via non-viral delivery vectors, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (LNP) and liposomes, both in vitro and in vivo.

Kenneth Loi 

kenjmloi@berkeley.edu

I’m studying molecular and cellular biology and joined Murthy Lab in Oct, 2021. When I’m not at my desk or in the lab, you can find me buried in a book or relaxing with friends and family. My research involves stabilizing the mRNA using modified nucleotides.

Alumni