Welcome to the Dhakal Lab

Single Molecule Microscopy and DNA Nanotechnology Lab @ VCU

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Lab Members


Soma Dhakal, Ph.D.   Curriculum Vitae

Associate  Professor
Ph.D., Kent State University, 2013
Postdoc: University of Michigan (2013-2016)
Office: Temple 4423
Phone: (804) 828-8422
Email: [email protected]

Graduate Students

Dalton Gibbs, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2016 – May 2021). Graduated with a Ph.D. degree.
BS, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Research Interest: Protein-DNA interactions, Holliday Junction-binding proteins

 

Anisa Kaur, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2016 – May 2021). Graduated with a Ph.D. degree.
BS, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA
Research Interest: Aptasensing, Multiplexed Detection of Biomarkers, DNA Nanotechnology

 

Anoja Megalathan, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2016 – May 2021). Graduated with a Ph.D. degree.
BS, Institute of Chemistry I College of Chemical Sciences, Sri Lanka
Research Interest: Nanomedicine, DNA Nanotechnology

 

Kalani Wijesinghe, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2019 – Fall 2023), Graduated with a Ph.D. degree.
BS, College of Chemical Sciences (CCS), Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC), Sri Lanka
Research Interest: Single-molecule imaging of DNA  Nanostructures, DNA Nanotechnology, Biosensing

Roaa Mahmoud, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2019 – Spring 2024), Graduated with a Ph.D. degree.
BS, American University of Sharjah
Research Interest: Protein-DNA Interactions, Single-Molecule Biosensing

Chamika Algama, Ph.D. Student (Spring 2022 – Current)
BS and M. Phil., Sri Lanka
Research Interest: DNA Nanotechnology, Single-Molecule Microcopy, and Biosensing.

Srishty Sethi, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2022 – Current)
BS (Hons) and M.S. in Chemistry, University of Delhi, India
Research Interest: Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Single-Molecule Microcopy, and Biosensing

Md Monirul Islam, Ph.D. Student (Fall 2023 – Current)
BS & MS, Jagannath University, Bangladesh
Research Interest: Single-Molecule Microcopy and Biosensing

Current Undergraduate Students

Olivia Byers
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Jan 2024 – Current

Previous Undergraduate Students

Jayasree Allam
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Aug 2023 – Dec 2023

Maanya Mavuloori
Research Interest: Protein-DNA interaction
Aug 2023 – Dec 2023

Nana Nyarko
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Jan 2023 – May 2023

Sasha Wang
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Protein-DNA Interaction, Sensing
Jan 2023 – May 2023

Rida Syed
BS student, Biochemistry and Mathematics
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Aug 2022 – Dec 2022

Jamil Basir
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Jan 2022 – Dec 2022

Westley Koon
REU student from Catawba College
Research Interest: Bio-analytical Chemistry
Summer 2022

Sultana Omar
ACS Project-SEED student from the University of Virginia (UVA)
Research Interest: Biosensing
Summer 2022

Samuel Seaton
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Jan 2022 – May 2022

Jasmine Barriera
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Sensing
Jun 2021 – Dec 2021

Basanta Akriti Poudel
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Biosensing
Jan 2021 – Dec 2021

Taahaa Naveed
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Biosensing
Jan 2021 – May 2021

Mariam Fadil
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Biosensing
Aug 2020 – May 2021

Sydney Pettit
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Biosensing
Aug 2020 – Dec 2020

Mischa Ellison
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry, Biosensing
Nov 2019 – Dec 2020

Leslie Ranson
BS student, Chemistry/Biochemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry
Jan 2019 – May 2020

Benjamin Kass
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry
Sept 2018 – May 2020

Shelbie Baird
REU student from Stevenson University
Research Interest: Bio-analytical Chemistry
Summer 2019

Caleb Donkoh-Moore
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry
Sept 2018 – Spring 2019

Paras Jain
BS student, Chemistry
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry
Summer 2018

Lusia (Lucy) Mahoney
BS, Chemical Engineering, University of Surabaya, Indonesia
Research Interest: Analytical Chemistry

Spring 2017 (January, 2017 – May, 2017)

High School Students

Amelia Seabury
Siddharth Venigalla
Maggie Walker Governor’s School
Research Outreach Program
Spring 2020

Natalia Mangaroo
Open High School, Richmond, VA
Research Interest: Biochemistry
BluSky Summer Research
June 21- Aug 4, 2017