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ALSHAKIM NELSON

Principal Investigator

Alshakim Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Washington. He received his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2004, where he worked with Sir J. Fraser Stoddart on carbohydrate-containing polymers and macrocycles. He was then an NIH postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology working for Professor Robert Grubbs on olefin metathesis catalysts for the formation of supramolecular ensembles. Dr. Nelson joined IBM Almaden Research Center in 2005 as a Research Staff Member where he focused on the synthesis of nanomaterial building blocks that enabled large area nanomanufacturing via self-assembly. In 2015, Dr. Nelson joined the faculty at the UW, where his research group focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and processing of stimuli-responsive hydrogels for 3D printing. Dr. Nelson has over 40 publications and 11 issued patents. His honors and awards include recognition as an IBM Master Inventor, ACS PMSE Young Investigator, Kavli Foundation Fellow, NSF CAREER award, and 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award. 

Post-Doctoral Fellow

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NAROA SADABA

Naroa Sadaba was born in Spain.  She obtained her technical certificate in Industrial Chemical Engineering, as well as her Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). She then completed her Master's degree in Advanced Materials Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of Bilbao. In 2021 she obtained her international PhD in Materials Engineering and Sustainable Processes through the development of polylactide-based composites for 3D printing with improved properties, radiopacity and biologically active composites for the fabrication of medical devices under the supervision of Dr. Ester Zuza and Dr. Jone Muñoz.  In 2021 she was awarded a Margarita Salas Fellowship, and is currently at the University of Washington in Seattle, conducting a 3D printing hydrogels project in Dr. Nelson's lab under the direction of Dr. Haritz Sardon. Outside of the lab, she enjoys traveling and reading.

Graduate Students

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CEM MILLIK

Cem Millik was born in Ankara, Turkey and was raised in the United States. He has a BS in biochemistry from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing a PhD in chemistry. Cem’s research interests center on interfaces between life sciences and synthetic materials. Cem’s research in the Nelson Laboratory focuses on the exploration of stimuli-responsive hydrogels and their applications in 3D printing, 3D cell culture, and as soft biomaterials. Cem’s hobbies include woodworking, metalworking, skiing, and diving. See the highlights page to hear Cem Millik talk about his research.

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GOKCE ALTIN-YAVUZARSLAN

Gökçe Altın-Yavuzarslan was born in Istanbul, Turkey. She received BS and MSc from Istanbul Technical University in Food Engineering, and currently is a PhD student in Molecular Engineering at UW. In Nelson’s lab, she focuses on designing SLA printable Engineering Living Materials (ELMs), fabrication of 3D printed functional ELM devices, utilizing the microbial-polymer interactions to enhance material properties, and understanding the effect of polymer and fabrication methods on encapsulated cell behavior. Outside the lab, she enjoys watercolor painting, needleworking, and preparing fermented foods.

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ANTONIO VAZQUEZ   

 Antonio (Toni) Vazquez is from Santa Rosa, CA. He received his BS in Chemistry from UC Davis, where he worked on low-valent organometallic complexes with Dr. Phil Power. In the Nelson lab, he focuses on the synthesis of ionogels with the goal of incorporating metal complexes in the polymer network. In his free time, Tony enjoys doing art, reading, hammocking, or some nerdy stuff (long list).

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SIWEI YU 

Siwei Yu is from Shanghai, China. She received a BA in Chemistry from UC Santa Barbara, where she worked on ESI and AFM under the supervision of Dr. deVries. In Nelson's Lab, she focuses on designing and synthesizing hyperbranched poly(glycerols)s (HPGs) as components of stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing resins. Outside of the lab, Siwei enjoys baking, playing tennis, and traveling.

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CHELSEA SAINSBURY

Chelsea Sainsbury is from Watertown, CT. She received a BS in Chemistry from the University of Maine, where she worked on synthesizing a triptan derivative with Dr. Michael Kienzler. In Nelson’s lab, she focuses on synthesizing self-assembling ABC triblock copolymers. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing video games, baking, hiking, and knitting.

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ROWINA BELL 

Rowina Bell lived in Argentina as a child and moved to California at age 10. She received a BS in Chemistry from UC Santa Barbara, where she worked under Dr. Guillermo Bazan and Javier Read de Alaniz. In Nelson’s lab, she works on the synthesis and characterization of ionic liquid gels. In her free time, Rowina likes to hang out with her dog, go to the beach or the nearest body of water, and watch (bad) tv shows. 

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ANA PAULA KITOS VASCONCELOS

Ana Paula Kitos Vasconcelos grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received a BS in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz, where she worked on covalently plasticizing PVC using photoredox-catalyzed ATRP in the lab of Dr. Rebecca Braslau. In the Nelson lab, she focuses on 3D-printed protein-based hydrogels. Outside of the lab, Ana Paula enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, mycology, and hiking to alpine lakes.​

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LEANN LE

LeAnn Le is from Mission Viejo, CA. She received her BS in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA. While there, she conducted research with Professor Hong Z. Zhou, utilizing cryo-EM techniques to understand the mechanics of host-viral fusion in Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In the Nelson Lab, she focuses on designing and characterizing 3D-printable Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) with the goal of creating sustainable bio-hybrid materials. Outside of the lab, she enjoys eating good food, reorganizing her Spotify playlists, playing volleyball, and thrifting for cool glassware. 

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SHANNON DAILY

Shannon Daily is from Leesburg, Virginia. She received her BS in Biochemistry from the United States Air Force Academy and her MS in Chemistry from Purdue University where she worked on biomimetic underwater polymer adhesive systems in Dr. Jon Wilker's lab. In Nelson's lab, Shannon works on preventing cell escape from hydrogels for use in Engineered Living Materials (ELMs). Outside of research, she enjoys cooking/baking, reading, and traveling.

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KINSEY DRAKE

Kinsey Drake is from Palo Alto, CA. She received her BS in Biochemistry from Tufts University where she worked on analyzing food systems in the labs of Dr. Ben Wolfe and Dr. Charles Mace. In the Nelson lab, she focuses on mechanical improvements to Engineered Living Materials (ELMs). Outside of research, she enjoys teaching Chemistry, knitting, and being outdoors. 

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Undergraduate Students

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ENG KWA

Eng Kwa was born and raised in San Jose, California. He is currently doing a B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Washington and hopes to pursue a PhD in grad school or an MD in medical school. His research interests in the Nelson Lab include ELMs (Engineered Living Materials) and any application of 3D printed polymers in a biomedical setting. Outside of the lab, he enjoys swimming, playing water polo, and essentially every type of physical activity known to man.

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SNEHA SIL

Sneha Sil was born in Chennai, India, and grew up around Chicago, Illinois. She is currently pursuing a double major (B.S.) in Biochemistry and Chemistry at the University of Washington. She aspires to attend graduate school for a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry. Her research project in the Nelson Lab focuses on the investigation of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) for in situ bioproduction of anti-inflammatory therapeutics in the GI tract. Outside of the lab, Sneha's hobbies include reading, creative writing, visiting cafes, and collecting fountain pens. 

Alumni

Nicole Bentzen was an undergraduate researcher in the lab in 2016.

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Cecilia Martin was an undergraduate researcher in the lab from 2015-2017 (B.S. Chemistry and Biochemistry in 2017)

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Robert Ono was a Post-Doc in the lab from 2015-2017. He is currently at Nexgenia.

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Abhijit Saha was a Post-Doc in the lab from 2016-2018. He is currently at Keva.

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Casi Goodman was a research engineer in the lab from 2016-2018. She is currently at Metrix Engineers.

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Jacob Fillman was an undergraduate researcher in the lab from 2017-2019. He is now the stockroom manager here at UW Chemistry.

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Anuradha Seshan was an undergraduate researcher in the lab from 2017-2019. She is currently at Relypsa.

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Max Wende was a visiting scholar from Germany in 2019. He is now at Fraunhofer IVV.

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Naroa Sadaba was a visiting scholar from Spain in 2019. She is now back at the University of the Basque Country. 

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Trevor Johnston was a graduate student in the lab from 2015-2020. He is currently at Just Biotherapeutics.

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Taylor Wright was a visiting scholar from Canada in 2020. He is now back at the University of British Columbia. 

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Dylan Karis was a graduate student in the lab from 2015-2020. He is currently at Airable Research Labs.

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Amrita Basu was a graduate student in the lab from 2015-2020. She is currently at  UbiQD.

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Jordan Furseth was an undergraduate student in the lab. She is in the Master's program at UW Materials Science and Engineering.

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Zoel Parent was an undergraduate student in the lab from 2019-2020.

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Ryan Shafranek was a graduate student in the lab from 2015-2020. He is pursuing his work in postdoc position at Xiaosong Li Lab, UW.

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Vy Le was a graduate student in the lab from 2020-2021. She is currently at  Logiclnk.

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Claudia Willis was a graduate student in the lab from 2018-2021. 

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Christopher Fellin was a graduate student in the lab from 2016-2021. He is currently at Henkel.

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Patrick Smith was a graduate student in the lab from 2016-2021. He is currently at Cabot.

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Luis Morales was a visiting summer student from CSULA in 2021. He is now back at the CSULA.

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Benjaporn (Fang) Narupai was a Post-Doc in the lab from 2019-2021. She is currently in Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in the Chemistry Department as a faculty member. 

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Pukjira (Torie) Chaemchuea was a visiting student from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in Fall 2021. She is now back at Chulalongkorn University. 

 

Tanat (Tan) Rungsrithong was a visiting student from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in Fall 2021. He is now back at Chulalongkorn University. 

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Cameron Sietz was an undergraduate student in the lab from 2020-2022. He is currently working at Partner Therapeutics as a manufacturing technician in the purification department.

 

Eva Sanchez Rexach was a Post-Doc in the lab from 2019-2022. She is currently a researcher in Advanced Materials Engineering at General Atomics in San Diego, under the Intertial Fusion Technology division. 

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Henrique Sepulveda Del Rio Hamacek was a visiting student from Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia in Fall 2022. He is now back to the Tallinn University of Technology.

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Jitkanya (Jenn) Wong was a graduate student in the lab from 2017-2022. She is currently a process engineer for NoiseFigure Research at Meta Reality Labs. 

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Xabi Lopez De Pariza was a visiting student from POLYMAT Institute, University of the Basque Country between Fall 2022-Witner 2023. He is now back at the University of the Basque Country

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Nathan Ballinger was an undergraduate student in the lab from 2021-2023. He is currently a PhD student in the Department of Chemistry at CalTech.

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Allison Rattay was a MONET REU research fellow during the summer of 2023. She is currently an undergraduate student at Ohio State University. 

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Julian Smith-Jones was a graduate student in the Nelson lab from 2017-2023. He is currently a materials engineer at Meta.

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