CDT Fellows


Current Fellows


Oluwabukola Sophia Bamishaye

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Oluwabukola Sophia Bamishaye headshot

Oluwabukola Sophia Bamishaye received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Landmark University in Nigeria in 2019, graduating with First Class Honors. Driven by a passion for molecular imaging and translational diagnostics, she pursued graduate studies in Chemistry at Georgia State University, earning her Master of Science degree with Summa Cum Laude honors in 2024. She iscurrently a Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry.

Since beginning her doctoral studies, she has worked under the mentorship of Dr. Jenny Yang, focusing on the design and development of a novel protein-based MRI contrast agent, hProCA32.Collagen, engineered to target collagen in fibrotic and cancerous tissues. Her research involves the optimization of protein engineering, purification, and formulation strategies, as well as conducting in vivo preclinical imaging studies to validate diagnostic efficacy.

Sophia has extensive teaching experience as a graduate teaching assistant in General and Analytical Chemistry and is actively involved in mentoring undergraduate students. She has presented her work at several scientific conferences, including the World Molecular Imaging Congress and SERMACS, and has received numerous fellowships and awards for her research excellence.

Her scientific interests center on protein-based imaging agents, non-invasive diagnostics, and molecular innovation in disease detection. She is committed to advancing translational imaging tools for early cancer detection and precision medicine.


Shubham Bansal

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Shubham Bansal headshot

Shubham Bansal is a Ph.D. candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Binghe Wang at Georgia State University. He is a recipient of both the Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics (CDT) Fellowship and the David W. Boykin Fellowship. His research focuses on developing innovative diagnostic tools and drug delivery strategies with promising clinical applications.

Shubham is particularly engaged in the study of reactive oxygen species (ROS), contributing unique insights and novel designs to address fundamental challenges in the field. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling and watching movies, finding inspiration and balance through new experiences and storytelling.


Chinonye Dim

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Chinonye Dim headshot

Chinonye Dim received her Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Benin, Nigeria, in 2019. While undergoing her undergraduate studies, she interned at Bamby’s Children’s and Maternity Hospital as an assistant laboratory scientist. While in the lab, she engaged in sample collection and conducted major diagnostic tests. During her undergrad, her thesis project focused on understanding the alpha-amylase inhibitory ability of Tetrapleura tetratera. In 2021, she proceeded to obtain her master’s degree in biological science at GSU. During the program, she joined the molecular cell biology lab as a teaching assistant while also being a writing across the curriculum consultant for an immunology class. In 2022, she joined Dr. Mukesh Kumar’s lab, where she is now a first-year PhD student, working on understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of flaviviruses within the brain. Chinonye is passionate about volunteering and non-profits. She is a presently a Co-founder of Lydia Help Organization, a non-profit centered on providing support to kids in Africa. She is also a blood donor ambassador and Disaster Action Team member for the American Red Cross, as well as a Hospice and Crisis Text line Volunteer.


Oluwafoyinsola Faniyi

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Oluwafoyinsola Faniyi

Oluwafoyinsola Faniyi received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2016. While undergoing her undergraduate studies, she interned with the Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory at the College of Medicine, UNILAG, as an Industrial Trainee and was engaged in quality control and analysis of drug and food samples using analytical methods. She conducted her undergraduate thesis under the tutelage of her Research Supervisor, Dr. Wahab Okunowo, where she worked on the proximate analysis of edible insect larvae to serve as an alternative cheap source of protein for less-advantaged societies. She also voluntarily assisted PhD candidates on elementary aspects of their research on analysing antimicrobial properties of fungi extracts for therapeutic explorations. Understanding that refractory maladies known to man are manifestations of aberrant expression of genes, mutations, or epigenetic factors and metabolic disorders spurred her interest into furthering her education and specializing in researching prophylaxis and the cure of maladies.

Foyin proceeded with a Masters’ program in Chemistry with an interest in Drug Discovery and Development. She is a second-year Chemistry Master’s Thesis student in Dr. Ming Luo’s laboratory, currently working on employing X-ray Crystallography technique in the structural studies of antitumor compounds that target oncoproteins and proteins that play major roles in tumour suppression. These structural studies can help determine the binding mechanism of potential therapeutic compounds and protein targets to enable adjustments to be made to such compounds for further development. The field of drug discovery excites her because it will always embrace novelty. In her spare time, Foyin enjoys volunteering with Educational, Environmental, Health and Non-profit organizations. She engages in pro-bono consulting with Community Consulting Teams (CCT Atlanta) to assist local non-profits in assuaging educational situations among African American communities. With her partner, Peace Bamidele, she co-founded an education non-profit that pursues the advancement of social and emotional learning in Nigeria. Foyin is a deep lover of Jesus.


Shu Liu

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Shu Liu headshot
My name is Shu Liu. I completed my bachelor’s degree in biology from Wuhan University (WHU), China in 2023. During my undergraduate studies, I developed a strong interest in how biomolecules regulate cellular function. I was fascinated by how proteins are selectively activated, modified, or degraded, which led me to explore more about post-translational modifications and protein signaling networks. which motivated me to pursue further education in this field.

I am currently a second-year Ph.D. student in Biochemistry at Georgia State University, working in Dr. Jun Yin’s group. Our research focuses on engineering proteins with customized binding and catalytic properties to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying key cellular processes. We are reprogramming the ubiquitin conjugation machinery—including E1, E2, and E3 enzymes—to map ubiquitin-mediated signaling pathways, aiming to establish a versatile proteomic platform to systematically explore the regulatory roles of ubiquitin-related enzymes in cell biology. So far, I have focused most on verifying the connection between deubiquitinating enzyme OTUD4 and E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF216 revealed by the orthogonal ubiquitin transfer screen by using experimental methods such as protein purification, in vitro ubiquitination reaction, cell transfection. We successfully identified the regulation connection between OTUD4 and RNF216, OTUD4 and RNF216 substrates as well.


Shashank Mishra

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Phat Nguyen headshot

Shashank Mishra hails from the scenic town of Chitrakoot, India. He earned his Master’s degree in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Delhi. His fascination with chemistry began in high school, inspired by the vivid, color-changing reactions he encountered in the lab.

In June 2023, Shashank joined Dr. Xuefei Li’s research group, where he is currently investigating synthetic pathways for metastable transition metal chalcogenides. His work focuses on their potential applications in bioimaging and in situ photothermal therapy. Outside the lab, Shashank enjoys listening to instrumental music, which provides a calming balance to his scientific pursuits.


Andrew Polatty

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Andrew Polatty professional headshot

Andrew Polatty is a recent graduate of Presbyterian College, where he earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Chemistry with Honors. During his time at PC, he conducted NIH-funded research under the mentorship of Dr. Kimberly De La Cruz, focusing on the design and synthesis of pyrrole-based carbon monoxide (CO) prodrugs for targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. His work investigated how these prodrugs could leverage elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in inflamed tissues to release CO in a controlled, therapeutic manner.

This research ignited Andrew’s passion for medicinal chemistry and deepened his interest in the intersection of synthetic chemistry, pharmacology, and human health. He was selected as a Fellow of the Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics at Georgia State University, where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry. His goal is to advance innovative therapeutic development and contribute to chemical solutions for complex biomedical challenges.


Shahir Sarasiya

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Shahir Sarasiya professional headshot

Shahir Sarasiya received his Bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Georgia State University in 2021. He continued to pursue his Master of Science degree in Organic Chemistry and successfully defended his thesis in 2023 entitled “Synthesis and Optical Properties of Red Shifted Squaraine Dyes Containing Perimidine Moiety as Potential Optoacoustic Imaging Agents.” Shahir has conducted research under the supervision of Dr. Maged Henary since he was an undergraduate. His research focuses on synthesizing small near-infrared molecules to image tumor tissue.

As a CDT fellow, Shahir will continue to work on synthesizing new small molecules, specifically focusing on the Squaraine scaffold. Shahir has studied the properties of this scaffold during his undergraduate and master’s research and found that modifying this scaffold can be optimized for the diagnosis and treatment of tumor tissues. This project, which is NIH funded, will focus on the design and development of squaraine dye to image breast cancer using the optoacoustic modality in collaboration with Dr. McNally of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.


Tangliang Shen

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Tangliang Shen professional headshot

My name is Tangliang Shen, and I obtained my master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering from Nankai University (NKU), China in 2020. During my master’s studies, I focused on synthesizing small-molecule inhibitors for the Zika virus and developing fluorescent probes with high selectivity and sensitivity for detecting H2S and various thiol species in both solutions and live cells. My work on a fluorescent probe has been published in Chemical Communications.

I am a second-year Ph.D. student in Organic Chemistry at Georgia State University, working in Professor Lei Li’s group. My research focuses on sulfated glycans in glycomics. The literature reports that the sulfation of glycans plays a crucial role in various physiological/pathological processes and glycan-protein interactions. However, our understanding of the sulfation of glycans is still limited, and we need structurally diverse sulfated N- and O-glycans for functional glycomics studies. Therefore, using a chemical enzymatic modular approach is particularly important to efficiently synthesize structurally diverse sulfated N- and O-glycans.

In the chemical enzymatic modular approach, glycosyltransferases are integrated with all necessary reagents/substrates to construct individual modules. Each module performs specific tasks to generate specific glycosidic bonds, thereby directly synthesizing diverse glycans from a given structure. This chemical enzymatic modular synthesis is a powerful tool for rapidly preparing structurally diverse sulfated N- and O-glycans, which can serve as standards and probes for functional glycomics studies. These structurally diverse glycans will help explore the role of sulfation of glycans in physiological/pathological processes and glycan-protein interactions.


Gauri Tripathi

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Gauri Tripathi professional headshot

My name is Gauri Tripathi. I have completed my bachelor’s in science (B.Sc.) with majors in chemistry and physics from V.S.S. D. College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. I qualified All India national exam IIT JAM in 2021, which gave me the opportunity to pursue my master’s in chemistry (M.Sc. in chemistry) from Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur (IIT jodhpur), India. I also qualified Indian national exam of Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE- Chemistry) in 2021 with 92%ile. While in my bachelor’s, I interned in CSIR NEIST, India, on “Interdisciplinary approach to precision agriculture’ in 2020. I also interned in IISER Bhopal, India, on the topic “Oragnoseleniums and their anticancer properties”. While, my master’s I interned in IIT Kanpur, India on the topic “synthesis of nitrogen rich heterocyclic compounds and their applications in space and defense”.

In my master’s final year, I did a one-year project under Dr. Dibyendu K. Sasmal in IIT jodhpur, on the topic “Spectroscopic Studies of the interaction of curcumin & coumarin (c102) dye inside a live cell”. From there I got interested in biophysical chemistry and learned the imaging techniques like Fluorescence imaging, various spectroscopy methods and got experience in working with live bacterial cells. Due to my interest in different fluorescence imaging techniques, I got the opportunity to enroll in Ph.D. program under Dr. Chayan Dutta, GSU.

Currently I am in my 2nd year of Ph.D., and I am working on deciphering the impact of plastic nanoparticles on conformation & dynamics of human proteins using various techniques like TIRF microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Circular Dichroism spectroscopy etc.


Previous Fellows


Name Year Awarded Fellowship Lab Current Position Location
Dr. Ramazan Atalay
Dr. Ramazan Atalay
2012 Dr. Nikolaus Dietz Faculty Member, Biomedical Engineering; Gediz University Ismir, Turkey
Emmanuel Buabentg
Emmanuel Buabeng
2018 Dr. Maged Henary Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry Department Georgia State University Atlanta, Georgia
Dr. Sarah (Burroughs) Zingales
Dr. Sarah (Burroughs) Zingales
2013 Dr. Binghe Wang Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry; Georgia Southern University Savannah, Georgia
Dr. Katherine Fange Liu
Dr. Katherine Fange Liu
2012 Dr. Aimin Liu Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. You Feng
Dr. You Feng
2012 Dr. George Yunjin Zheng Research Fellow, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Harvard Medical School Boston, Massachusetts
Zongxiang Gui
Zongxiang Gui
2018 Dr. Jenny Yang Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry Department; Georgia State University Atlanta, GA
Dr. Liang-Wei Li
Dr. Liang-Wei Li
2013 Dr. Zhi-Ren Liu Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biology; Georgia State University Atlanta, GA
Dr. Eric Owens
Dr. Eric Owens
2013 Dr. Maghed Henary Patent Agent; Cooley LLC New York, NY
Dr. Vaishali Pannu
Dr. Vaishali Pannu
2013 Dr. Ritu Aneja Research Scientist II, Research and Development; Caris Life Sciences Tempe, AZ
Dr. Hangjin Peng
Dr. Hangjin Peng
2012 Dr. Binghe Wang Research Associate, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
Dr. Crystal Smitherman Rosenberg
Dr. Crystal Smitherman Rosenberg
2013 Dr. Giovanni Gadda Director of Development, Aalto Scientific Atlanta, GA
Dr. Zhenghua Andy Tang
Dr. Zhenghua Andy Tang
2012 Dr. Gangli Wang Associate Professor, South China University of Technology Guangzhou, China
Dr. Shuo Wang
Dr. Shuo Wang
2013 Dr. David Wilson Senior Scientist, Navigate BioPharma Services, Inc. Takeda, CA
Dr. Alice Chen Zhang
Dr. Alice Chen Zhang
2012 Dr. Jenny Yang Postdoctoral Researcher, La Jolla Institute of Immunology La Jolla, CA
Dr. Ying Zhang
Dr. Ying Zhang
2013 Dr. Irene Weber Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, MA