The Bioinorganic Team

  • Marianna Medina, '26

    Marianna is a Chemistry (ACS Certified) major and joined the group during MUSE 2023.

  • Makenna Heslin, '26

    Makenna is a Chemistry (ACS Certified) major an joined the group in Spring 2024.

  • Sebastian Mesa, '26

    Sebastian is a Chemistry (ACS Certified) major and joined the group in Fall 2024.

  • Hannah Lee, '26

    Hannah is a Chemistry major in the 7-Year Medical Program which includes TCNJ and Rutgers’ New Jersey Medical School. Hannah joined the group in Fall 2024.

  • Melissa Issac, '27

    Melissa is a Chemistry major who joined the group in Fall 2024.

  • Lillian Antar, '28

    Lilly is a Chemistry major who joined the group in Fall 2025.

 Research Group Alumni

  • Justin Martinez, '25

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified), Marketing minor, Biochemistry specialization. Justin was in the group from MUSE 2022 to Spring 2025, completing summer internships at Catalent and Kyowa Kirin.

    Current position: Product Quality Associate, Kyowa Kirin.

  • Om Balar, '25

    B.S., Biology, 7-Year Medical Program. Om was in the group from Spring 2024 to Spring 2025.

    Current position: Medical student, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

  • Cristian Herrera Alpizar, '25

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified). Cris was in the group from MUSE 2022 to Fall 2023 before joining the O’Connor laboratory at TCNJ in Spring 2024.

    Current position: Graduate student, Department of Chemistry, Princeton University.

  • Coco Peddinti

    Coco Peddinti, '24

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified). Coco was in the group from Spring 2022 to Spring 2024.

    Current position: Graduate student, Department of Chemistry, Boston University.

  • Amanda Kirschner, '24

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified), German Studies minor, Biochemistry specialization, German Business certificate (first ever recipient at TCNJ). Amanda was in the group from Spring 2022 to Spring 2024.

    Current position: Dental student, New York University College of Dentistry.

  • Michelle Amaechi, '24

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified), Biochemistry specialization. Michelle was in the group during MUSE 2021 and from Fall 2022 to Spring 2024.

  • Ruhi Shah, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified), Psychology minor, Biochemistry Specialization. Ruhi was in the group from Fall 2020 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Medical student, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

  • Matt Porowski, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified), Physics minor, Materials Science Specialization, Honors Program. Matt was in the group from Fall 2020 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Graduate student, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  • Zach Ziolkowski, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified), Biology minor, Biochemistry Specialization, Honors Program. Zach was in the group from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Graduate student, Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison.

  • Alana Calello, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified), Psychology minor, Biology minor. Alana was in the group from Spring 2020 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Chemistry teacher, Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

  • Folashade Jaiyeola, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS Certified), Biochemistry Specialization. Folashade was in the group from Spring 2021 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Operating Room Service Technician at Jersey Shore Medical Center.

  • Mark O'Malley, '22

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified), Materials Science Specialization. Mark was in the group from Spring 2021 to Spring 2022.

    Current position: Quality Control Chemist at Schreiber Foods.

  • Alex Hanneman, '20

    B.S., Chemistry (ACS certified). Alex was in the group from Fall 2019 to Spring 2020.

    Current position: Purification Technician, BeiGene.

Group photos (2025)

  • Fall 2025 research group outing and gift exchange at KPOT.

  • Melissa and Marianna presenting at Fall 2025 chemistry research open house.

  • Sebastian presenting at Fall 2025 chemistry research open house.

  • Makenna presenting at Fall 2025 chemistry research open house.

  • Lillian and Hannah presenting at Fall 2025 research open house.

  • Spring 2025 JC Penney photoshoot with Justin, Om, Melissa, Makenna, Hannah, and Marianna.

  • Seb presenting a poster at COSA 2025.

  • Om, Hannah, and Melissa presenting a poster at COSA 2025.

  • Makenna and Marianna presenting a poster at COSA 2025.

  • Justin giving a talk at COSA 2025.

Group photos (2024)

  • Fall 2024 group outing and gift exchange at Colonial bowling.

  • MUSE 2024 lunch outing to Princeton with Marianna and Makenna.

  • Michelle, Makenna, and Justin. Poster presentation, COSA 2024.

  • Om, Marianna, Amanda, and Coco. Poster presentation, COSA 2024.

  • Group party, Topgolf, Spring 2024.

Group photos (2023)

  • Dec 2023 reunion with Alana, Matt, Zach, and Ruhi!

  • The Ekanger group after completing an escape room! Dec 2023.

  • Michelle, Marianna, Justin, Coco, Amanda, and Cris after presenting their posters at the end-of-semester (Fall 2023) Chemistry Department research open house.

  • Celebrating the accomplishments of MUSE 2023 with Marianna, Coco, and Cris. Thank you to TCNJ and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation for funding!

  • MUSE 2023 outing to the other College of New Jersey (a.k.a. Princeton) featuring Cris, Coco, and Marianna.

  • Coco and Amanda presenting a poster at COSA 2023.

  • Michelle presenting a poster at COSA 2023.

  • Amanda, Coco, Cris, and Justin hanging out at COSA 2023.

  • Justin and Cris presenting a poster at COSA 2023.

Group photos (2022)

  • MUSE 2022 outing to the other College of New Jersey (a.k.a. Princeton) featuring Cris, Justin, and Coco.

  • Coco and Amanda at the Fall 2022 research open house in the chemistry department.

  • Justin and Cris at the Fall research open house in the chemistry department, Fall 2022.

  • Zach, Alana, Matt, Ruhi, Folashade, Coco, Amanda, and Mark. Spring 2022.

  • Group party, TopGolf, Spring 2022.

  • ACS San Diego, March 2022.

Group photos (2021)

  • MUSE 2021 funded by TCNJ, Jean Dreyfus Lectureship for Undergraduate Institutions, and the Sherman Fairchild Foundation.

  • The TACN taskforce (Zach, Michelle, Ruhi, and Alana), Summer 2021.

  • Hike at Mercer Meadows, Summer 2021.

  • Ruhi and Matt presenting a poster, Fall 2021.

  • Alana and Zach presenting a poster, Fall 2021.

  • Students in writeup area, Fall 2021.

Pet photos (Dogtoral scholars)

  • Ruckus (Ekanger)

  • Georgia (Ekanger)