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: sndhakal@vcu.edu
| 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 – Current)
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