Team
Principle Investigator
Gül obtained her Ph.D. from Lehigh University in 2017. After working for four years at Princeton University as a postdoc, she joined UH Chemical Engineering faculty in January 2022.
Outside being a traditional chemical engineer, she is a master in almost all kinds of card games (former professional bridge player), enjoys yoga and martial arts, has a secret love of playing classical Turkish musical instruments and baking.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Asghar, also known as Aliasghar, earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Louisiana State University in 2018. He completed a four-year postdoctoral fellowship at the City College of New York and a one-year postdoctoral position at the Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences. In September 2023, he joined the group, where he is currently developing Monte Carlo methods for the nucleation of biomolecules.
In his free time, Asghar enjoys engaging in discussions and debates on social media.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Mangesh recently earned his Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur, India, and joined our lab in November 2024. His primary focus will on developing computational models, simulation and analysis techniques to study biomolecular condensates.
Outside the lab, he enjoys running, swimming, hiking, and other outdoor activities. He also loves to travel and read manga and fictional/historical novels.
Graduate Student
Ayush completed his B.Tech in Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur and joined our lab in January 2022. He is interested in investigating the phase separation of IDPs via coarse grained models and machine learning techniques.
Outside the lab, he enjoys swimming, dancing, cooking, playing air hockey and absolutely doesn’t claim to be an expert in either of these. In his room, you will mostly catch him reading fiction novels or watching Friends.
Graduate Student
Karim obtained his BSc degree in Chemical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and joined the lab in January 2022. He is studying RNA structure and dynamics in a variety of contexts, ranging from ribonucleoprotein assemblies to viral replication, using high-resolution computer models and advanced sampling techniques.
Outside the lab, Karim is highly focused on self-exploration in trying to find his true self 🤓🧐
Graduate Student
Kosar received her BSc and MSc in Chemical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology and joined the lab in January 2022. She is currently focused on the atomistic simulation of biomolecules, utilizing advanced sampling techniques to investigate the stability and behavior of complex systems, including full-length proteins and protein-RNA interactions. Her research contributes to a deeper understanding of biomolecular mechanisms, with potential implications for therapeutic advancements.
Outside the lab, Kosar is an avid marathon runner who finds inspiration in the parallels between the persistence required for long-distance running and life’s challenges. She is also passionate about hiking, traveling, psychology, and embracing new experiences that broaden her perspective.
Graduate Student
Graduate Student
Nehil completed his B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology in 2021. Currently, he is studying the working mechanisms of human transcription factors and their interactions with their transactivation domains using coarse-grained molecular simulations.
In his leisure time, he likes to watch movies, sing his favorite genre of songs, and play cricket.
Graduate Student
Albert earned his B.S. from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2019, after which he worked as a process engineer at Intel in Phoenix, AZ for 4 years before joining the team in January 2024. He is working on a collaborative experimental/computational project with Dr. Richard C. Willson to understand liquid-liquid phase separation behavior of biological macromolecules.
He’s always ready to discuss recent sports happenings and loves a good story in any format: film, television, video games, anime, etc. He enjoys travel and is constantly seeking new places to go so let him know if you find anywhere nice. Nothing is more soothing to him than a leisurely walk while zoning out to some music.
Graduate Student
Alejandro completed his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech University and joined the lab in January 2024. He is currently working on developing models and understanding the mechanisms of polymorphism in molecular crystals.
Outside the lab he is either attending various concerts, playing the guitar, or reading fantasy/sci-fi books.
MORGAN MURRAY
Graduate Student
Morgan earned her B.S. from the University of Houston in 2016 in Chemical Engineering, then work as a controls system engineer for 7 years before returning to obtain her Ph.D. in the same subject in 2024. She is working on developing continuum models to simulate multi-component liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in biological systems and resolving dynamics of transcriptional condensates via multiscale simulations.
Undergraduate Student
Zoubida is a senior majoring in Computer Science at the University of Houston. She joined the lab in June 2024 and is working alongside Eduardo to create simulations to tackle condensate pathologies.
In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, and web development.