People.
training the next generation of leaders in science and society to help solve the problems of the 21st century
We are a diverse and inclusive group of scholars deeply interested designing new chemical reactions for synthetic chemistry. We understand that maximizing creativity in our research requires a strong commitment to work-life balance and we are committed to maintaining a safe environment where we can thrive as our authentic selves.
We seek to become leaders in our independent careers, wherever our interests take us. We will help each other to find opportunities and develop skills that position each of us to make an impact on the world around us. Learn more about our approach HERE.
Julian G. West, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
CPRIT Scholar and Norman Hackerman-Welch Young Investigator
Julian (website) started at Rice University in summer 2019 after completing a postdoc at Caltech (Gray/Stoltz), Ph.D. at Princeton (Sorensen), and B.Sc.H. at UBC (Sammis). He was recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Science list for his group's work at Rice. Outside of lab he likes to play (and listen to) music, run, and write.
Seeking Curious Scientists
Postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates
Please contact us if you're interested in joining our lab!
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See our dynamic and growing team below!
Po-Kai (Luke) Peng, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Po-Kai joined our group after completing his Ph.D. with Prof. Jeremy May at University of Houston and is working on iron photocatalysis. Po-Kai is working on getting a picture for the website.
Yongchen Wang, Ph.D.
Visiting Researcher
Yongchen completed a PhD in 2022 under the supervision of Prof. Ed Anderson at the University of Oxford where she worked on total synthesis of polyketide natural product. She then joined Sygnature Discovery as a synthetic and medicinal chemist to work on some drug discovery projects. To expand the research area, then she joined Prof. Ben Davis’ group as a PDRA working on biomolecule chemistry and proteomics. Due to the passion for photoredox chemistry, she has now joined Prof. Julian West's lab to explore more iron catalyzed photoredox chemistry.
Austin Moser, B.S.
Graduate Student
Austin received his B.S. in biochemistry from San Diego State University in 2020. While at SDSU, he did research in natural product synthesis, working toward the total synthesis of Palmyramide A. In the West Lab, Austin has focused on developing photocatalytic reactions involving Vitamin B12 and decatungstate. Outside of the lab, Austin enjoys playing the violin, writing, playing video games (FPS and MMORPGs), and rewatching Avatar: the Last Airbender/Legend of Korra.
Helen Jordan, B.S., B.A.
Graduate Student
Helen received her undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond, VA in 2013. She performed research on a ruthenium catalyst for solar energy storage with Drs. Goldman and Dominey before obtaining her B.S. in chemistry and a B.A. in German studies. After graduation, she worked in Konstanz, Germany before returning to the U.S. to pursue her PhD. Helen began her studies at Rice University Fall ’18. When not in lab, Helen loves reading sci-fi/fantasy books, DnD, spending time with friends, and not talking in 3rd person.
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Sarah Buzsaki, B.S.
Graduate Student
Sarah earned her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in 2020. At Berkeley, she worked in Professor Daniel Nomura's lab, synthesizing and screening acyl fluorides and DUBTAC candidates. Sarah began her doctoral studies at Rice in the summer of 2020 as an early matriculate. Outside of the lab, she enjoys dancing ballet, powerlifting, and listening to podcasts.
Brian Funk, B.S.
Graduate Student
Brian was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 2021. At Penn State, he synthesized molecular-rotor fluorophores used for in vivo imaging of protein aggregation under the mentorship of Drs. Xin Zhang and Charlie Wolstenholme. Outside of lab, Brian enjoys watching sports, hanging out with friends, weightlifting, and trying new restaurants.
Shijin Yu, B.S.
Graduate Student
Shijin was born and raised in Tianjin, China. She received her B.S. in chemistry from Nankai University in 2020. In her senior year, she traveled to New Haven where she worked on zinc-mediated anionic cyclization reactions with Professor Timothy Newhouse. Shijin began her doctoral studies at Rice University in 2020. Outside of the lab, Shijin enjoys movies, music, novels, and spending time with family.
Alex Chavez, B.S.
Graduate Student
Bio: I received my B.S. in Chemistry in 2023 from Winston-Salem State University. During my time at WSSU I worked under Professor Fenghai Guo researching heterocylce methodology. In my free time I enjoy reading comics, playing halo, and weightlifting.
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Rachel Shey, B.S.
Graduate Student
Rachel Shey grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from UC Davis in 2024 with a BS in Entomology and a minor in Chemistry. While at UC Davis, she worked in the lab of Dr. Bruce D. Hammock optimizing a nanobody-based ELISA for aflatoxin B1 in cannabis, and in the lab of Dr. Cody R. Pitts synthesizing strain-release reagents and sulfur chloride pentafluoride. Outside of the lab, Rachel enjoys drawing, cooking, rock climbing, and playing Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Michael Yasuda, B.S.
Graduate Student
Bio: Michael earned his B.S. in biochemistry from UC Davis in 2023. He worked on asymmetric allylations of heterocyclic sulfonimidimides under Professor Jared Shaw. Outside of lab, Michael enjoys playing video games and going to the gym.
Can (Jess) Tang, B.S.
Graduate Student
Jess was born in Nanchong, Sichuan, China, and raised in Chongqing, China. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHKSZ), where he was supervised by Prof. Henry N. C. Wong and Prof. Xiao-Shui Peng on the synthesis of noncanonical aza-helicenes and small drug intermediates. In 2022, he traveled to Berkeley, working on blue-light induced [2+2] photocycloaddition with Prof. Richmond Sarpong and Dr. Ian Bakanas. Jess began the doctoral study at Rice University in 2024. Outside of the lab, Jess enjoys music, k-dramas (Won-ho Shin), traveling, spending time with friends and his cat, and trying new restaurants.
Lilly Stillwell, B.S.
Graduate Student
Lilly joined the group in 2023 and is working on her bio.
Paige Sutter
Undergraduate Researcher
Paige is working on some cool chemistry and her group website entry.
Gabs Allen
Undergraduate Researcher
Gabs is working on some cool chemistry and her group website entry.
Alumni.
Radha Bam, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Radha received her Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno (Prof. Wesley Chalifoux) in spring 2019.
She joined the West lab after graduation. Currently she is working on catalysis.
Outside the lab, she likes drawing things and to explore nature.
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Radha is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Texas A&M Univeristy
Venkatesh Kattamuri, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Venkatesh received his Ph.D from Texas Tech University in August 2014. From September 2014, he worked as Welch postdoctoral research associate in Prof. Kurti’s group until August 2019 working on amination reactions. From September 2019 onward, he joined Prof. West’s group to explore catalytic methods using earth abundant elements. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his family and watching movies.
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Venkatesh is currently a Research Scientist at Arcus Biosciences
Alex Pollatos
Undergraduate Researcher
Alex is a senior undergrad studying Chemistry here at Rice. He spent a year in the Tour lab designing and synthesizing molecular motors. More recently, he joined the West lab in 2020 and is working on B12 chemistry and catalysis. Outside of lab, Alex enjoys jazz, bouldering, backpacking and a nice cup of coffee
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Alex is currently a Ph.D. Student in chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute - La Jolla
Lillie Plaza
Undergraduate Researcher
Lillie is now a Ph.D. student in Chemistry at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) after graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry from Rice University in the Spring of 2021. During her time in the West lab, she conducted a thorough literature investigation of cobalamin dependent methylation of activated aromatic heterocycles via a radical mechanism. Outside of the lab, she likes to paint, play video games, and hang out with her two corgis.
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Drew Hood, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Drew received his PhD from Louisiana State University in 2019 (Prof. George G. Stanley), he then joined Prof. West group in 2020. He is currently working on catalysis using earth abundant metals. Outside the lab, he enjoys traveling, cooking and woodworking.
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Drew is currently a research scientist at Entegris
Alexandra Lim
Undergraduate Researcher
Alexandra is a fourth year undergraduate studying chemistry at Rice University. She joined the West Lab in the Fall of 2020 and is working on the deuteration of alkenes via cooperative hydrogen atom transfer (cHAT). Outside of lab, she enjoys baking, watching movies, and going to coffee shops.
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Alexandra is currently a Ph.D. student at Cornell University
Yen-Chu Lu, Ph.D.
Graduate Student
Yen-Chu Lu was born in Yilan, Taiwan. He received his bachelor's degree from National Chung-Cheng University in 2015. He conducted undergraduate research with Professor Day-Shin Hsu focusing on the synthesis of natural product. He then worked on the carbohydrate synthesis under the supervision of Professor Kwok-Kong Tony Mong and obtained his master's degree from National Chiao-Tung University in 2017. In 2019, he starts to pursue his doctoral degree at Rice University. In his spare time, he enjoys working out, trying new foods and watching horror movies.
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Yen-Chu defended his Ph.D. in Spring 2023 and is currently a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Tom Teets
James Hooson, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
James received his PhD from the University of Houston in 2021 (Prof. Scott Gilbertson); he then joined Prof. West group later that year. He is currently working on HAT of C(SP3) for azidation and chlorination. Outside the lab, he enjoys watching movies, cooking, and hanging out with his cats.
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James is currently a patent agent at Maier and Maier.
Hai N. Tran, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Hai grew up in the central highlands of Vietnam. He graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Science in 2014 with a B.Sc. in Chemistry. In 2017, he began his graduate studies with Professor Levi M. Stanley at Iowa State University. There he developed enantioselective hydrofunctionalization and arylative substitution reactions using nickel catalysts. He received his Ph.D. in 2022 and then joined Professor West group. Outside of the lab, he likes playing Pokemon games, watching soccer and listening to music
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Hai finished in our group in December 2024 and is currently a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Laura Ackerman-Biegasiewicz
Martin Pauze, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar
Martin was born and raised in France, close to Lyon. He received an engineer degree in medicinal chemistry at Sigma Clermont and a Master degree of biochemistry at University Clermon Auvergne (France). In 2021 he finished his Ph.D. at the University of Basque Country (Spain) with Prof. Enrique Gomez-Bengoa and at the University of Stockholms (Sweden) with Prof. Belen Martin-Matute. He joined the lab in 2022 and is working on VB12 chemistry. Outside of the lab, Martin enjoys cooking, listening to music, playing video games, and stargazing.
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Martin finished in our group in January 2025 and is currently a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Spencer Pitre
Xiaowei Chen
Undergraduate Researcher
Xiaowei is a third-year undergraduate studying Chemistry here at Rice. She joined the West Lab in the Spring of 2022 and is working on arene halogenation and radical ligand transfer catalysis. Outside of lab, Xiaowei enjoys road cycling, EBM and DnB, melodrama, spending time with family, cookery, and trying new restaurants.
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Xiaowei is currently a Ph.D. Student in chemistry at Cornell University
David Nemoto
Undergraduate Researcher
David, a fourth year chemistry undergraduate at Rice University, joined the West Lab in May 2021. He currently works with his mentor Harry on various alkene difunctionalization projects along with exploring the concept of radical translation and ligand transfer. Outside of lab, he enjoys playing piano, basketball, long-distance running, and going on roadtrips. His favorite shows are Better Call Saul, Stranger Things and Cowboy Bebop.
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David is currently an M.D./Ph.D. Student in chemistry at Vanderbilt University
Hannah Rahmaan
Undergraduate Researcher
Hannah, a fourth year Chemistry undergraduate here at Rice University, joined West lab in the summer of 2019. Outside of lab she enjoys singing, listening to music, and taking long runs on the outer loop.
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Hannah is currently an M.D. student at USU School of Medicine
Gulnihal Tomur
Undergraduate Researcher
Gulnihal was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. She is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Rice majoring in Chemistry. Gulnihal joined the West Lab in the Spring of 2022, and she has been working on site-selective C-H chlorination. Outside of research, she enjoys reading novels, restaurant hopping, and thrifting.
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Gulnihal is currently a Ph.D. Student in chemistry at Columbia University
Kangjie (Harry) Bian, Ph.D.
Graduate Student
Harry earned his B.S. in chemistry in 2017 from Huaqiao University under the mentorship of Qiu-Ling Song and M.S. in 2020 from University of Science and Technology of China under the guidance of Xi-Sheng Wang investigating remote functionalization of inert C-H bonds. Outside of lab, he likes to watch movies, listen to dream-pop and shoe-gaze music, and read young adult novels. He can also make really good spaghetti!
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Harry defended his Ph.D. in December 2024 and is currently a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Jin-Quan Yu
Shi-Chieh Kao, Ph.D.
Graduate Student
Shih-Chieh received his B. S. in biochemistry from Tamkang University in 2016 and performed undergraduate research with Professor Chung-Hung Hsieh. Following this, he pursued his M. S. from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in 2018 under the mentorship of Professors Ilhyong Ryu and Yen-ku Wu focusing on the photo-mediated radical chemistry and the flow chemistry. Outside of lab, he enjoys deejaying, powerlifting, watching Drama and Anime, and outdoor activities.
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Shih-Chieh defended his Ph.D. in August 2024 and is currently a postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Mike Neidig