• Associate Professor, Chemistry, TCNJ

  • Postdoctoral Scholar, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Caltech

  • Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, Wayne State

  • B.S., Chemistry (ACS), Mathematics minor, NMU

Associate Professor, 2024 - present
Assistant Professor, 2019 - 2024

The College of New Jersey

The Ekanger lab is a bioinorganic research program with an emphasis on Fe coordination chemistry in aqueous biomimetic complexes. The lab studies fundamental coordination chemistry principles underlying Fe(III)-thiolate disproportionation to better understand this reaction in metalloenzymes like human cysteamine dioxygenase. Using aqueous biomimetic chemistry, the lab has discovered kinetic and electrochemical trends in the disproportionation of Fe(III)-thiolate intermediates near physiologic pH.

Postdoctoral Scholar, 2016 - 2019

California Institute of Technology

While a postdoc, Levi worked with Jackie Barton to study iron-sulfur cluster chemistry of DNA-processing enzymes E. coli endonuclease III and S. cerevisiae DNA polymerase epsilon. Studying the iron-sulfur cluster nitrosylation of endonuclease III led to the discovery of an iron nitrosyl complex previously unreported for this enzyme and a large (~800 mV) shift in its reduction potential. Studies on DNA polymerase epsilon revealed reversible modulation of DNA polymerase activity through redox chemistry specific to its iron-sulfur cluster.

Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, 2012 - 2016

Wayne State University

While a graduate student, Levi worked with Matt Allen to study the europium(II/III) redox couple within the context of redox-active contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. These studies discovered the europium(II/III) redox couple is an on/off redox switch for imaging tissues. For example, the europium(II/III) redox couple differentiates necrotic from non-necrotic tissue within a tumor based on metal oxidation state.

B.S., Chemistry (ACS), Mathematics minor, 2008 - 2012

Northern Michigan University

While an undergraduate student, Levi performed a variety of research experiences spanning physics (measuring naturally occurring radioactive isotopes in soil), biochemistry (studying protein-chitin interactions relevant to the arthropod cuticle), and inorganic chemistry (synthetic boron chemistry). While performing inorganic chemistry research with Tom Getman, Levi learned synthetic techniques and characterization relevant to borane and carborane cluster chemistry.