Murthy Lab at UC Berkeley

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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

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).


Jie Li
lijiesteve@berkeley.edu

2010 Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, Nankai University
2010 Bachelor of Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University
2015 PhD, Chemical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (PI. Yunfeng Lu)

 Joined Murthy group: December 2017

My current research focuses on DNA-free genome editing using non viral vector for intracellular delivery of Cas9-RNP. I’m also developing nanoparticles targeting tumor associated macrophages to deliver potential immunotherapeutics to tumor microenvironment.

 


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.

 


Hansol Kim

hansol_kim@berkeley.edu

2014 Bachelor of Science, Nano-Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

2020 Ph.D., Life Science, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST)

Joined Murthy group: November 2020

I am currently working on intracellular delivery of functional materials including enzyme and siRNA. I am also making chemically modified oligonucleotides for enhanced in vivo stability and efficacy.

 


 

Michael R. Stentzel
michaelstentzel@berkeley.edu

2012 Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, Central Michigan University
2019 PhD, Synthetic Chemistry, Northern Illinois University (PI. Douglas A. Klumpp)
Joined Murthy group: March 2020

I am currently developing drug delivery systems, including pH sensitive linkers and modified siRNA, as well as performing medchem on specific protease inhibitors.


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.

 

 

 


Visiting Scientist

Rena Yang

renay@berkeley.edu 2021 Bachelor of Science, Bioengineering, UC Berkeley

Joined Murthy group: September 2020

My research involves the design and synthesis of new self-immolative linkers, strategies to deliver Cas9 into cells, and molecular docking to optimize lead compounds targeted against SARS-CoV-2.

 

 


Undergraduate Students

Kenneth Loi (undergraduate)

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

Name Time Position Current Position
Yumiao Zhang  2016-2018  Postdoctoral Fellow  Professor, Tianjin University
Chad Altobelli 2017-2018 B.S. Student  Undergraduate researcher, Nomura lab
Corinne Sadlowski 2015-2017  Postdoctoral Fellow  Scientist, R2M Pharma, Inc.
Abhinav Acharya  2012-2015  Postdoctoral Fellow  Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
Jingtuo Zhang  2015-2017  Postdoctoral Fellow  Scientist, PaxVax Inc,
Bora Park 2015-2017 Postdoctoral Fellow Research Scientist, Impossible Food Inc.
Subhamoy Das 2016-2017 Postdoctoral Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University
Kunwoo Lee 2011-2016 Ph.D. Student GenEdit
Vanessa Mackley 2016-2017 Master Student GenEdit
Xiaojian Wang 2013-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow Faculty at Nanjing Tech University
Giri K. Vegesna 2015-2016 Postdoctoral Fellow Scientist, Profusa Inc
Mike Webb 2013-2014 Postdoctoral Fellow Faculty at Montana State University
Kiana Aran 2012- Postdoctoral Fellow Faculty at KGI Insititute
HyunJin Kim Postdoctoral Fellow
Carlo Lo Sterzo 2013- Postdoctoral Fellow
Xinghai Ning 2008- Postdoctoral Fellow Faculty at Nanjing University
Mikhail Zibinsky 2012-2014 Postdoctoral Fellow Scientist, Flexus Biosciences
Jianping Zheng 2013 Postdoctoral Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow, Dophen Biomed
Kousik Kundu 2007-2011 Postdoctoral Fellow Senior Scientist, LI-COR Biosciences
Madhuri Dasari 2005-2011 Postdoctoral Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Institute of Technology
Jason Lee 2008-2011 Postdoctoral Fellow Research Scientist, Kimberly-Clark
John Perng 2008-2011 Ph.D. Student Research Scientist, Siemens
Scott Wilson 2006-2011 Ph.D. Student Postdoctoral Fellow, EPFL
Khalilah Reddie 2009-2011 Postdoctoral Fellow Lecturer, UMass-Lowell
Dongin Kim 2008-2010 Postdoctoral Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale
Jay C. Sy 2006-2010 Ph.D. Student Faculty at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Yash Kolambkar 2010 Postdoctoral Fellow Postdoctoral Fellow, Georgia Tech
Alex Cooper 2010 Undergraduate Georgia Tech
Chen-Yu Kao 2007-2009 Ph.D. Student Assistant Professor of BME, Taiwan National University of Engineering
Sungmun Lee 2005-2009 Postdoctoral Fellow Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University (UAE)
Mike Heffernan 2003-2008 Ph.D. Student Postdoctoral Fellow, NIH | Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
Dongwon Lee 2006-2008 Postdoctoral Fellow Assistant Professor of Material Science, Chonbuk University
Stephen Yang 2003-2008 Ph.D. Student Research Scientist, Merck
Siraj Khaja 2005-2007 Postdoctoral Fellow Research Scientist, Cambridge Pharmaceuticals

 

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