Lab Members

Post Docs

Ryan Mull

Ryan obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno, under the advisement of Dr. Yftah Tal-Gan in Fall of 2021. During his PhD Ryan explored the development of peptide based alternative approaches to combat antimicrobial resistant bacterial pathogens. He joined the Li lab as a postdoctoral research associate in January of 2022, where he is currently interested in researching the biosynthesis and bioactivity of nonribosomal peptides. In his free time Ryan enjoys reading, playing video games, hiking, and rockhounding.

Josh Turek-Herman

Josh received his PhD in Chemistry from Princeton University in the spring of 2023. During his graduate studies Josh expanded the pathways available to common biocatalysts to enable radical reactivity in Todd Hyster’s lab. He joined the Li lab as a postdoctoral research associate in June of 2023 where he is exploring the biosynthesis of a natural product herbicide. Outside of the lab you’ll find Josh hiking, climbing, running, and baking.

Graduate Students

Olivia Steiner

Originally from Milford, CT, Olivia traveled only a few hours from home to get her B.S in biochemistry at Tufts University (Go Jumbos!) right outside of Boston. While at Tufts, Olivia conducted research in the lab of Dr. Rebecca Scheck, where she studied post-translational modifications and protein bioconjugation strategies. Her coursework, mentors, and research experience at Tufts inspired her to apply to graduate school, and she thought UNC-Chapel Hill was the perfect fit. In the fall of 2021, she enrolled in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program (BBSP) and joined the Li Lab in the spring. Olivia is studying the mode of action of hybrid antibiotics. When she is not in the lab you can find her playing volleyball, traveling, coaching track and field, or spending time outdoors.
EMAIL

Caitlin Vitro

Originally from Carmel, NY, Caitlin attended Binghamton University and earned a B.S. in Chemistry with an emphasis in Biological Chemistry in 2021. During her time at Binghamton, Caitlin spent two years in Dr. L. Nathan Tumey’s lab studying antibody-drug conjugates for autoimmune diseases. Following her passion for chemistry and wanting to escape the frigid winters of upstate NY, she enrolled at UNC in the fall of 2021 and joined the Li group in December of 2021. When in lab, she is studying novel enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial natural products. In her free time, Caitlin enjoys playing the clarinet, wandering down the aisles of Trader Joe’s, and re-watching TV shows for the hundredth time.
EMAIL

Christopher Brache

Christopher was born and raised in Hialeah, Florida. He attended Florida International University, where he received his B.S. in Chemistry and minor in Mathematics in 2021. While working in Dr. Yuan Liu's lab, Chris studied techniques to map DNA polymerase ß mRNA methylation patterns in response to oxidative stress. After enrolling in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program in the summer of 2022, he joined the Li lab in the spring of the following year. Chris studies the biosynthesis and mode of action of natural-product antibiotics. Outside of lab, Chris can be found on a volleyball court or at home glued to his computer.
EMAIL

Sanchit Saiganesh

Initially from Bangalore, India, Sanchit moved halfway across the world to sunny California and earned a B.S in Chemistry (and a B.A in German) at UC Santa Barbara. There, he developed a nascent interest in biochemistry after studying non-shivering thermogenesis in mammalian brown adipose tissue in the lab of Dr. Brandon Greene. Following this curiosity led him to join the Li lab in December 2022, where he currently works on elucidating the modes of action of antimicrobial natural products. Outside of the lab, he can be found reading murder mysteries, listening to heavy metal, and trying to continually improve his time in Minesweeper.
EMAIL

Alexis Murray

Alexis moved (not too far) away from her home in Youngsville, NC, and earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2022. At UNCC, she studied bacterial glycan biosynthesis in the lab of Dr. Jerry Troutman, and this research experience led her to enroll in an Early Entry master’s program. As an Early Entry student, she developed a glycan immobilization platform for screening interacting partners and completed her M.S. in chemistry in 2023. Shortly after, she moved from UNCC to UNC. She is interested in studying bacterial-plant interactions and is currently working to solve the structure of a toxin from a plant pathogen. Outside of the lab, Alexis can be found drawing, reading fantasy novels, or hiking/getting lost (the chances are 50/50).
EMAIL

Gabby Beal

Gabby is originally from Montville, CT. She went to The College of the Holy Cross and earned a B.A. in Chemistry in 2024. During my time at Holy Cross, she spent two years Dr. Christine Hagan's lab studying the protein-protein interactions and overall mechanism involved in a type of interbacterial competition called contact-dependent inhibition. She enrolled in the chemistry program in the summer of 2024 and joined the lab in December of 2024. In the lab, she works with enzymes involved in biosynthesis of bacterial natural products. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, watching tv, and cooking. She also has two cats!
EMAIL

Felicia Baerje

Felicia is an international student from Bremen, Germany. She got her B.S. in Chemistry at Furman University in Greenville, South Caroline. While at Furman, Felicia did research with Dr. Brian Goess on the total synthesis of hibiscone C. In 2023, she wandered up North to Rahway, NJ to be an intern at Merck in a Flow Chemistry group. Now, Felicia also studies the novel enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial natural products. In her free time, Felicia loves to do hot yoga and has been improving her cooking skills.
EMAIL

Undergraduates

Jack Roche

Jack is an undergraduate from Raleigh, NC pursuing a degree in Chemistry on the Biochemistry track. He joined the Li group in the summer of 2022 and is studying enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of a signaling molecule in bacteria. In his free time, Jack likes to bake, travel, and play the clarinet.

Rachel Zeisloft

Rachel is an undergraduate student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and came to UNC to purse a degree in Chemistry on the Biochemistry track. She joined the Li Group in the spring of 2024 to explore her academic interests in a hands-on setting. When she's not in the lab, Rachel can be found exploring new running trails, working or lifting in the Student Recreation Center, or spending time with her friends.

Lab Alumni

Drake Crawford

Drake studied the biosynthesis of the quorum sensing compound Valdiazen. He is currently a senior scientist at Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, TN.

Will Simke

Will studied the biosynthesis and mode of action of fluopsin C. He is currently a post-doc at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Rachel M. Johnson

Rachel studied the structure-activity relationships of hybrid antibiotics and is now a process development scientist at Amgen.

Xiaoyan (Betty) Chen

Xiaoyan studied natural product biosynthesis and making hybrid antibiotics. She is currenty a post-doc at Westlake University in Hangzhou, China.

Qiang Guo, PhD

Qiang was interested in studying host pathogen interaction using plants as model organism. He has accepted an Associate Professorship at China Agricultural University in Beijing, China.

Adam Lescallette

Adam studied the biosynthesis of natural products. He is currently working as a post-doc at Corteva.

Katie Acken

Katie studied virulence pathways in bacterial species. She is currently a post-doc at Eli Lilly.

Rachel A. Johnson, PhD

Rachel studied the mode of action of hybrid antibiotics. She is currently working with the North Carolina State Government as a Science Policy Fellow.

Henry Bryant, B.S.

Henry is a former undergraduate that helped to explore natural products and their associated biosynthetic pathways.

Jon Patteson, PhD

Jon studied the biosynthesis of numerous natural products in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. He is currently senior scientist at Merck.

Gina Morgan, PhD

Gina studied the chemistry and biology of PVF. She is currently a research scientist at Oerth Bio.

Andy Chan, PhD

Andy studied the mode of action of DTPs. He is now at Life Edit Therapeutics.

Ashley Kretsch, PhD

Ashley characterized small molecule products from signaling and virulence-related biosynthetic pathways in Pseudomonas and Burkholderia species. She is now a research investigator at Corteva.

Erinn O'Neill, PhD

Erinn studied the biosynthesis of small molecules from plant pathogens. She now works for Agilent.

Kevin Santa Maria

Kevin Santa Maria investigated novel gene clusters in Streptomyces and Pseudomonas, and developed synthetic biology methods for characterizing their products. He is currently a medical director at International Meetings & Science

Zach Dunn, PhD

Zach was a graduate student studying oxyvinylglycine biosynthesis and hybrid antibiotics. He is now a research scientist at Merck.

Elisabetta Massolo, PhD

Elisabetta was a post-doc studying the chemistry and biology of NRPS natural products. Eli left the lab in 2017 and is a research scientist at Flamma SpA.

Jillian Tyrrell, PhD

Jillian Tyrell Jillian was a postdoctoral researcher at UNC. Her work focused on genome-mining to discover and characterize novel biosynthetic pathways. She left the lab in 2015 and is a senior scientist at Illumina.

Wenlong Cai, PhD

Wenlong Cai Wenlong was a post-doctoral research using genome-mining and enzymology to elucidate biosyntheses of complex natural products. Wenlong is a post-doc in Wenjun Zhang's lab in UC Berkeley.

Savannah Weeks

Savannah was an undergrad working on multiple projects. She graduated in 2018 and is a PhD student at University of Florida.

Martina Knechel

Martina Knechel was an undergrad working on identifying pathways governed by a bacterial natural product. She graduated in 2018 and is a post-bac at the NIH.

Former Lab Manager

Andrew Putz

Andrew's research in the Li lab was focused on elucidating the biosynthesis of bacterial natural products.