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samuel G. Awuah
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Dr. Jong Hyun Kim
Postdoctoral Researcher
jonghyun.kim@uky.edu
Jong Hyun Kim, Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry, University of Kentucky. A scientist who dreams of changing the world through science. An interdisciplinary researcher who expands the research field by crossing chemistry (bio, physical, and inorganic), biology, pharmacy, and basic medicine. His current research is drug discovery and development, focusing mainly on anticancer drugs. He is also a bass guitar player.
Postdoctoral Researcher
jonghyun.kim@uky.edu
Jong Hyun Kim, Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry, University of Kentucky. A scientist who dreams of changing the world through science. An interdisciplinary researcher who expands the research field by crossing chemistry (bio, physical, and inorganic), biology, pharmacy, and basic medicine. His current research is drug discovery and development, focusing mainly on anticancer drugs. He is also a bass guitar player.
Tyler Mertens
Graduate student
randall.mertens@uky.edu
Originally from Kentucky, Tyler joined the lab in 2017 where he helped develop the lab from the ground up. He completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Samuel Awuah in 2021. His work was centered around the development of novel gold(III) complexes as well as tricoordinate gold(I) complexes for use as anticancer agents. He focused heavily on characterization and the mechanism of action of these gold agents through rigorous biological evaluation with a heavy emphasis on mitochondrial function and metabolism. Tyler is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital through Harvard Medical School. Currently he is working on investigating the role on Interleukin-18 in intestinal inflammation and studying metabolic differences in acute/chronic colitis.
Graduate student
randall.mertens@uky.edu
Originally from Kentucky, Tyler joined the lab in 2017 where he helped develop the lab from the ground up. He completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Samuel Awuah in 2021. His work was centered around the development of novel gold(III) complexes as well as tricoordinate gold(I) complexes for use as anticancer agents. He focused heavily on characterization and the mechanism of action of these gold agents through rigorous biological evaluation with a heavy emphasis on mitochondrial function and metabolism. Tyler is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital through Harvard Medical School. Currently he is working on investigating the role on Interleukin-18 in intestinal inflammation and studying metabolic differences in acute/chronic colitis.
Samuel Ofori
Graduate student
samuel.ofori@uky.edu
Samuel Graduated from the University of Cape Coast (Ghana) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He became convinced that there exist an unraveled elegance in every complexity. Motivated by that conviction he joined the Awuah Lab in January 2017 where his research focuses on total synthesis of natural products towards immuno-chemotherapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Graduate student
samuel.ofori@uky.edu
Samuel Graduated from the University of Cape Coast (Ghana) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He became convinced that there exist an unraveled elegance in every complexity. Motivated by that conviction he joined the Awuah Lab in January 2017 where his research focuses on total synthesis of natural products towards immuno-chemotherapy of cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Sailajah Gukathasan
Doctoral candidate
sgu269@uky.edu
Sailajah is currently working within a unique niche of developing gold-based reagents for specific protein modulation under the guidance of Dr. Samuel Awuah. She is originally from the idyllic city of Jaffna in Sri Lanka and graduated Honors with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Zoology. She left her position as a government official in Sri Lanka to realize her true passion of contributing to society through science, better achieved by devoting her time to research and completing graduate school. Taking her first step towards her goal, she moved to the US in 2015 for a Masters’ degree from Tennessee Technological University. After graduating successfully in 2017, she joined the Awuah lab as a doctoral student.
Doctoral candidate
sgu269@uky.edu
Sailajah is currently working within a unique niche of developing gold-based reagents for specific protein modulation under the guidance of Dr. Samuel Awuah. She is originally from the idyllic city of Jaffna in Sri Lanka and graduated Honors with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Zoology. She left her position as a government official in Sri Lanka to realize her true passion of contributing to society through science, better achieved by devoting her time to research and completing graduate school. Taking her first step towards her goal, she moved to the US in 2015 for a Masters’ degree from Tennessee Technological University. After graduating successfully in 2017, she joined the Awuah lab as a doctoral student.
Adedamola Arojojoye
Graduate Student
adedamolaarojojoye@uky.edu
Adedamola graduated from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria with a Bachelor of Technology degree and from University of Lagos, Nigeria with a Master of Science degree in Chemistry. Motivated to pursue advanced research in Chemistry, he left his job with the University of Lagos to pursue graduate studies. He joined Awuah group in Fall 2019 and his research focuses on the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of novel stable organometallic complexes (mainly Au(III) and Au(I) complexes) with immunotherapeutic uses
Graduate Student
adedamolaarojojoye@uky.edu
Adedamola graduated from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria with a Bachelor of Technology degree and from University of Lagos, Nigeria with a Master of Science degree in Chemistry. Motivated to pursue advanced research in Chemistry, he left his job with the University of Lagos to pursue graduate studies. He joined Awuah group in Fall 2019 and his research focuses on the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of novel stable organometallic complexes (mainly Au(III) and Au(I) complexes) with immunotherapeutic uses
Chibuzor Olelewe
Graduate Student
chibuzor.olelewe@uky.edu
Chibuzor completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria. His interest in drug discovery which lies at the interface of Chemistry and Biology motivated him to pursue a graduate degree to acquire the requisite skills needed to be successful in this field of science. He joined the Awuah lab where he is interested in understanding the mechanism of action of small molecules designed with potential as chemotherapeutics.
Graduate Student
chibuzor.olelewe@uky.edu
Chibuzor completed his undergraduate studies in Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria. His interest in drug discovery which lies at the interface of Chemistry and Biology motivated him to pursue a graduate degree to acquire the requisite skills needed to be successful in this field of science. He joined the Awuah lab where he is interested in understanding the mechanism of action of small molecules designed with potential as chemotherapeutics.
Charles (Chase) Greif
Graduate student
cegr237@uky.edu
Chase is from a small town in Eastern Kentucky called Clay City. He was accepted into a dual B.S./M.S. program at Eastern Kentucky University for a Forensic Science/Chemistry degree path, but quickly realized that his passion lied in synthesis, rather than forensic analysis. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry and worked for two years in the environmental industry performing water quality analysis, before accepting a position at the University of Kentucky as a PhD student in 2020. Under the supervision of Dr. Awuah, he explores the novel field of tricoordinate Au(I) complexes and Tungsten derivatives, gauging their catalytic effects and searching for potent anti-cancer agents. In his free time, he likes to play with his cats, watch sports, and cook new, adventurous dishes.
Graduate student
cegr237@uky.edu
Chase is from a small town in Eastern Kentucky called Clay City. He was accepted into a dual B.S./M.S. program at Eastern Kentucky University for a Forensic Science/Chemistry degree path, but quickly realized that his passion lied in synthesis, rather than forensic analysis. He graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry and worked for two years in the environmental industry performing water quality analysis, before accepting a position at the University of Kentucky as a PhD student in 2020. Under the supervision of Dr. Awuah, he explores the novel field of tricoordinate Au(I) complexes and Tungsten derivatives, gauging their catalytic effects and searching for potent anti-cancer agents. In his free time, he likes to play with his cats, watch sports, and cook new, adventurous dishes.
Jovita Daraezinwa
Graduate student
Jovita.Daraezinwa@uky.edu
Jovita graduated from the University of Benin (Nigeria) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. Her work focuses mainly on understanding PD L1 Biology using small molecule inhibitors and biological studies. With a passion for teaching and science, she hopes to enjoy a future career in academia after completing her PhD.
Graduate student
Jovita.Daraezinwa@uky.edu
Jovita graduated from the University of Benin (Nigeria) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. Her work focuses mainly on understanding PD L1 Biology using small molecule inhibitors and biological studies. With a passion for teaching and science, she hopes to enjoy a future career in academia after completing her PhD.
Oluwatosin Obisesan
Graduate Student
oluwatosin.obisesan@uky.edu
Oluwatosin Ayomide Obisesan, is a Nigerian who earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Her undergraduate research focused on molecular toxicology after which she went ahead to work briefly in the natural products industry. Oluwatosin is currently a PhD student in Awuah’s lab where she is exploring Protein Protein Interactions for cancer therapeutics.
Graduate Student
oluwatosin.obisesan@uky.edu
Oluwatosin Ayomide Obisesan, is a Nigerian who earned her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Her undergraduate research focused on molecular toxicology after which she went ahead to work briefly in the natural products industry. Oluwatosin is currently a PhD student in Awuah’s lab where she is exploring Protein Protein Interactions for cancer therapeutics.
PhD trainees Dissertation Current
MS trainees Dissertation Current
Undergraduate trainees Current
- Dr. R. Tyler Mertens Developing Synthetic Strategies for Multifaceted Applications of Stable Gold-Based Complexes Harvard Medical School
- Dr. Samuel Ofori Rational design of Small Molecule Inhibitors of Protein-Protein Interactions: PD-1/PD-L1; MYC, ARID4B. UCLA
MS trainees Dissertation Current
- Xiao Tan
- Nathaniel George
Undergraduate trainees Current
- Evan Reeder
- Amal Agarwal
- William Jennings
- Benjamin Billiter
- Kate Cox
- James T. Coogle
- Cameron McNeill
- Wyatt Ringo
- Brayan Olmos
- Omar Bojang