MEET OUR TEAM
We have an amazing group of postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students who are excited about the future possibilities of biophysics to help treat and prevent diseases such as cancer.
Juan Guan, PhD
Assistant Professor, PI
My research interests lie at the interface of physics and biology. I’m exploring the physical mechanisms and dynamics in complex biological processes and biomaterials through a combination of high-throughput imaging, biotechnology, and quantitative analysis. I started grad school at MIT learning nanotechnology and nanofabrication then gravitated towards soft condensed matter topics including quantitative imaging and modeling at UIUC.
Outside the lab, I enjoy reading novels, watching art films and documentary films, cooking, and hanging out with friends.
Om Prakash Narayan, PhD
Postdoc
Utilizing approaches from synthetic biology for the formulation and assembly of dynamically tunable stimuli-responsive recombinant protein and its biomedical applications are the major focus of my current research, especially the design of light-responsive dynamically tunable proteins. These genetically engineered structural proteins could be used in many novel applications like drug delivery, gene therapy, and disease treatment in a non-invasive way. In addition, the controlled assembly of protein molecules also provides some exciting tools for studying protein phase separation in different cell lines as an important biological phenomenon with a wide-ranging impact on biological regulation and disease pathogenesis.
In my spare time I enjoy many outdoor activities such as: cycling, jogging, hiking, and gardening. I also love giving back by volunteering and doing charity work.
Lu Liu, PhD
Postdoc
Due to the challenges of identifying the structural properties of phase separated protein assemblies and choosing appropriate mutations, it is challenging to achieve a molecular level understanding of liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) through experimental methods. By utilizing molecular dynamics methods, we are able to understand the molecular mechanism of LLPS. Weak interactions between amino acid residues have been widely reported to be linked to LLPS, a coarse-grained computational framework is being used in my researches to better understand how weak non-bond interactions, like electrostatic attraction and π-π stacking, affect the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of proteins and ultimately influence protein phase separation.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling and playing basketball.
Jiawei Dong
Graduate Student
I am a 2nd year grad student in our lab, who is now exploring the world of biological physics and absorbing all kinds of relevant knowledge. Now I am doing research on expression and purification of recombinant protein in Escherichia coli. I'm also working on further processing the purified protein with dialysis and lyophilization, while using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for protein separation and testing.
In my spare time, reading and playing the piano always allow me to escape from stress and find inner peace. I also love choral singing, as I used to be a member in the college choir.
Kun (Kevin) Li
Graduate Student
Chimeric oncogenes are formed when two or more unrelated genes or coding sequences fuse together due to chromosomal mutations. These alterations are often linked to tumorigenesis and can result in poor clinical outcomes. A well-studied example is the EML4-ALK fusion oncoprotein in lung cancer, which causes ALK to relocate to the cytoplasm and form condensates, leading to continuous downstream signals. My current research focuses on identifying compounds that may disrupt the condensation of EML4-ALK through small molecule drug screening, with the potential to inform treatment strategies for other fusion oncoproteins as well.
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I enjoy cooking and outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. I also have a passion for exploring new experiences and ideas.
Li Liu
Graduate Student
Li is a PhD student in Cell and Molecular Biology at The University of Texas at Austin. She previously earned a master’s degree focused on integrating multi-omics data from algae and model microorganisms. Her current research interests include nanobodies and using biomolecular condensates for directed evolution.
Outside the lab, Li enjoys exploring different cuisines and is on a mission to sample every interesting drink she can find to build her personal “Li’s Favorite Drinks” list. She also has a mischievous little cow cat with tiny “mustaches” on his face. Together, they are a constant source of chaos.
Guan Lab Alumni
Michael Chung (2020-2025), Current Position: Postdoc at Yale Biomedical Engineering
Abdul-Vehab Dozic (2022-2023), Current Position: Cornell Biomedical Engineering PhD program
Juan Echeverry (2022-2023), Current Position: UIUC Physics PhD program
Alen Zacharia (2022-2023), Current Position: Carnegie Mellon Physics PhD program
Jewel Ashbrook (2022), Current Position: UT Austin Bioengineering PhD programVivian
Nguyen (2022-2023), Current Position: University of Miami MD program
Reagan McGinley (2021-2024), Current Position: Baylor College of Medicine MD program
Sasank Desaraju (2020-2023), Current Position: UF PhD/MD program
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Hey Guan lab alumni, get in touch with Juan to update your current information!
Join Our Team!
We are looking for some amazing students and postdocs to join our team. Please contact us for more information.