Plant and Algal Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University
(2020-present)
I was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and began attending Texas A&M in the fall of 2019 after graduating salutatorian of my high school. I am pursuing a double-major in biochemistry and genetics, with plans to attend medical school after obtaining my degree. My work in the Devarenne lab involves identifying the enzyme that performs lycopadiene epoxidation in the L Race of Botryococcus braunii.
(summer 2019)
Shruthi is a high school student at College Station High School and joined the lab for the summer of 2019. She will be working with Ivette on B. braunii hydrocarbon analysis. Specifically, Shruthi will be analyzing how mutations in the LOS enzyme from the L race of B. braunii affect its ability to produce hydrocarbons.
(2019-present)
Born in Peoria, Illinois, I attended Northern Illinois University and obtained a BS degree in Chemistry and a minor in Biological Sciences in 2018. I joined Texas A&M University in August of 2018, pursuing a PhD in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and joined the Devarenne lab in February of 2019.
My research focuses on elucidating the enzymatic machinery responsible for tetraterpenoid synthesis in the L race Botryococcus braunii. Specifically, identifying and biochemically characterizing key reductase enzyemes responsible for reducing lycopadiene precursors.
In my free time, I enjoy fishing, hunting, and playing music.
(Summer 2017)
Alyssa is a summer intern for the TAMU Energy Institute Summer Research Program. In the Fall of 2017 she will be a Junior majoring in Biochemistry and Genetics at Texas A&M. Alyssa is working on isolating and characterizing the lycopene cyclase cDNA from the B. race of B. braunii. Alyssa is currently (as of 03.28.2018) finishing her junior year studying biochemistry at Texas A&M.
(August 2016-September 2017)
Dr. Cheng is from Wuhan, China where he is an Associate Professor in the College of Plant Science and Technology at Huazhong Agricultural University.
Dr. Cheng spent a year in the Devarenne lab on a sabbatical visit from August 2016 to September 2017. He studied substrates of Adi3 that control programmed cell death through phosphorylation events in the nucleus.
After his time in the Devarenne lab Jiasen moved back to Wuhan to continue his position as professor at Huazhong Agricultural University.