Organizers

Satarupa Bhaduri

Satarupa Bhaduri is the chair of the student organizing committee, and is a graduate student in the Department of Biological Sciences. She works in Prof. William A. Cramer’s lab where she studies the structure-function of the hetero-oligomeric cytochrome b6f lipoprotein complex. Satarupa grew up in the city of Kolkata in India, where she got her bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and subsequently, masters in Biochemistry, before she joined Purdue in 2013. In her free time, she loves to read, watch movies, dance and play table tennis.

Chen Chen

Chen Chen is a graduate student in Dr. Chiwook Park’s lab in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, where she studies protein folding and protein-ligand interactions. She originally from Shanghai, China, and moved to the United States in 2008. She received her bachelor’s degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology from University of Wisconsin-Madison. As Chen grows in to an critical thinker and independent researcher, she is motivated to be a dedicated consultant in the field of life science.

Samantha Lee

Samantha Lee is a graduate student with Dr. Barbara Golden in the Department of Biochemistry, where she studies the structural basis for RNA function. She is originally from Reno, Nevada and attended the University of Nevada, Reno where she received her bachelors in biochemistry and masters in biotechnology. Samantha enjoys teaching undergraduates and has been a mentor for the NSF REU program and the Purdue iGEM Biomakers team.

Ngango Yvon Rugema

Ngango Yvon Rugema is a PULSe graduate student in the department of Chemistry working with Dr. Angeline Lyon to discover the structure of PLC enzymes and their interactions. Seeing that His country of origin, Rwanda, needed to develop in areas of scientific research with a focus on biomedical sciences, he decided to pursue a PhD in an American university so that he may learn and apply the knowledge gained to be one of the pioneers of establishing research based education and institutions in his country. He enjoys playing volleyball and guitar for a worship band at his church.

Phillip Rushton

Phillip Rushton is a graduate student with both Dr. Nicholas Carpita and Dr. Cynthia Stauffacher in the Department of Biological Sciences, where he studies the structure and function of plant cellulose synthase and cellulose synthase-like protein domains. Originally from Cicero, Indiana, he developed a passion for botany through leisure gardening and greenhouse management. He received his bachelor’s of liberal arts degree in Biology from Wabash College. Phillip is an active member of the C3Bio Center for the Direct Catalytic Conversion of Biomass to Biofuels. He owns two beautiful Siberian huskies and enjoys hiking, camping and skijoring (weather permitting) with his dogs. Phillip also enjoys tending to his large indoor tropical plants and aquascaping his freshwater community fish tank.

Valentyn Stadnytskyi

Valentyn Stadnytskyi is a PhD student working with Dr. Sergei Savikhin in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where he studies ultrafast processes in photosynthetic proteins. He came to Purdue with Bachelor and Master Degrees in Physics, specialized in Laser Science and Optoelectronic engineering, from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. His favourite proteins are all green. If it is not green he is not interested. At Purdue he found his passion for biology, biophysics and proteins.