Former lab members of the Van Rijn lab
Lab member From January 2021 -December 2021

Undergraduate student
Laura Payne

I'm a second-year undergraduate student from Plymouth, Indiana working to obtain my B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences here at Purdue. This is my first time working in a research lab and I'm incredibly excited to have the opportunity be here at the van Rijn lab. I've always loved being in lab during class and I’m eager to work on improving my skills in the lab. I'm very interested in learning more about opioid receptors and activities of psychostimulants so I’m very much looking forward to being a part of the research into them. In the future I'm hoping to continue my studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences in a graduate program and in my free time I like to read, listen to music, and spend time with my friends.
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​Lab member From September 2019 -December 2021

Undergraduate student
Elizabeth Rhoda

I am a second year undergraduate student currently obtaining my undergraduate degree in Pre-Pharmacy at Purdue University. I plan on attending Purdue’s College of Pharmacy in the fall of 2020 in order to obtain my Pharm. D. I am excited to begin my work in Dr. van Rijn’s lab in order to cultivate the skills needed for exceptional research and to learn more about research surrounding protein biased signaling in neurological disorders. Outside of the lab, I am involved in various organizations around Purdue’s campus including Purdue Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Purdue Pharmacy Ambassadors. In my free time I enjoy running, drinking coffee, and relaxing
Lab member From September 2019 -August 2021

Undergraduate student
Sophia Palant

I am a third-year undergraduate student studying pre-pharmacy. I am from Palo Alto, California and I plan on attending Purdue University’s PharmD program in the Fall of 2021. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the VanRijn lab and use this as a time to gain knowledge of the inner workings of a professional laboratory, as well as participate in research aimed at understanding the role of Barr signaling in DOR-agonist induced seizures. Outside of the lab, I am involved in the Career Development Committee for pharmacy students, and Purdue University Dance Marathon, where I serve as the Sponsorships Monetary Executive.
Lab member From August 2019 -August 2021

Undergraduate student
Rebecca Liu

 am currently a sophomore pursuing a B.S. in brain and behavioral sciences with an emphasis in pre-med here at Purdue University. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is my first time working in a research lab and I am very excited to continue nurturing my passion for science. I have always been fascinated by neuroscience, so I look forward to delving into the research aspect of it. After spending years in classroom labs, I am looking forward to the lab skills and experiences I will gain in Dr. Van Rijn’s lab! After graduation, I plan on attending medical school to earn my MD/PhD.
Outside of the lab, I am involved in the student council, mentoring other undergraduates in my college, and my sorority. I also enjoy running, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Lab member From September 2019 -August 2021

Lab and animal colony manager
 jinling yuan
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Lab member From September 2019 -December 2020

Undergraduate student
Quinten Hawk Royer

I am a junior double majoring in Neurobiology & Physiology from the College of Science and Public Health from the College of Health and Human Sciences here at Purdue. My future aspirations are to attend medical school and become a physician-scientist, as well as become a public health professional. My broad research interests include pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders, specifically related to the protein structure-function paradigm within the nervous system. I look forward to learning the necessary principles of high-quality research, along with mastering essential laboratory skills needed to conduct research at university level from Dr. van Rijn and the graduate students in the van Rijn Lab. Aside from school, I am involved in a few extracurricular activities including the Purdue University Run Club and Timmy Global Health. Also, I work for a local coffee shop called GreyHouse Coffee & Supply Co.
Lab member From May 2019 - May 2020

Undergraduate student
Hongyu Su

I am a senior BS pharmaceutical science student studying at Purdue University. This is my fourth year studying in the US. I am still learning my English. I was raised in Beijing China, and at the time in my highschool I wanted to obtain future degrees in the west, to experience the world and culture. I love playing video games, and at the same time, I love to learn about western cultures, languages, histories through the games! Also, I LOVE working out at the GYM, I am interested in health science and nutrition balance and hormonal health issues. Currently, I want to go to graduate school for my next eduction. I am doing a rotation between two labs, and my project at the other lab is about discovering the anti-Ebola viral drugs. So I am truly interested in both pharmacology and toxicology. So for now, I am working on testing 15 compounds to discover GPCR/cAMP singling bias potentials.  I love working at Dr. Van Rijn lab. People are lovely and friendly. With my project, I learned a lot of skills and tricks during the summer!

Accepted into the University of Michigan Graduate School
Lab member From Oct 2018 - May 2020

Undergraduate student
Angel lin

I am a third-year undergraduate student studying Pre-professional Pre-med here at Purdue University. I want to be part of the healthcare profession because I am passionate about being in a position to help other people. I was born in Los Angeles, California but I was raised in Taipei, Taiwan. I came back to the United State to pursue a higher education level and my journey here has been incredible. I had the chance to study abroad through the Global Internship Program in Seoul, South Korea and worked as an intern in a microbiology lab at Konkuk University and by getting a lot of hands-on experience. Since then I gain an interest in doing research lab work. Also, I am always fascinated with the brain and neuroscience so I am very excited to be in Dr. van Rijn’s lab to further develop my research skills and knowledge in this interesting field.  
 
Outside of the lab, I work as a Peer Success Coach to help students set and achieve their academic or personal goals. I also enjoy drinking bubble tea, watching all kinds of drama, and listening to music.

Currently a Podiatry medical student Western University of Health Sciences
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Lab member From Jun 2016 - Sep 2020

Graduate student:
Mee Jung KO

I obtained my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences and masters degree in Medicine from Konkuk University, located at the center of Seoul, Korea. As an undergraduate research intern at Konkuk University, I worked on “Functional significances of cytochrome P450 1A2 Allelic Variants” under the supervision of Dr. Dong Hak Kim. For my masters, I focused on neuroscience and specifically studied on “The effects of social interaction on stress-induced abnormal behaviors and ERK1/2 activation in medial prefrontal cortex of mice” in the Center for Geriatric Neuroscience Research (CGNR) of Dr. Chan Young Shin.
 
Outside the lab, I like to travel, play squash and have coffee at the Greyhouse.


Currently employed as Postdoctoral Scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Kaufer at UC Berkeley.
Lab member From Jan 2016 - May 2020

Graduate student:
Robert Cassell

Hailing from merry old England, I obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Manchester Metropolitan University, graduating with First Class Honors. During my time as an undergraduate I was able to take part in a variety of projects through my scheduled courses and voluntary work, including work involving synthetic organic chemistry research, rational/computer-aided drug design, and analytical work looking at the prevalence of ketamine throughout the City of Manchester.

​Outside of the lab I love to relax with friends, listen to music, and feed the stray cats that hang out near my apartment! 
Lab member From Jan 2019 - May 2019

Exchange student
Haoyue Cui

Hi, I am a senior student from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, and I am here as an exchange student for maybe four months with the hope of finishing my graduation thesis. I was born and raised up in Shijiazhuang, a small city in China. I am glad to study here for a semester, as I am interested in neuroscience and mood disorders. Throughout my collage years, I have finished a program called Metoprolol Attenuates Rat Retinal Damage from High Introocular Pressure via Anti-Apoptosis and Antioxidant Effects. It’s kind of similar to what we do in Dr. van Rijn’s lab. Despite the language difficulties, I am happy here, I love Purdue, and I believe I can learn a lot here. 
Outside of the lab, I love doing exercise and reading books, especially novels. I also enjoy traveling with friends and I have traveled a lot, if you plan to visit China, I am glad to be your tour guide
Lab member From Sep 2018 - May 2019

Undergraduate student:
Benjamin Cummins

I grew up on the east side of Indianapolis, and am now a senior in chemistry at Purdue. Mostly interested in the neuroscience and pharmacology of brain-drug interaction, I have worked in several labs on campus and hope to pursue a PhD in psychopharmacology. I am very passionate about the opioid research we do in this lab, having lost several friends to the epidemic. My interests outside of academia include philosophy, music, travel and extreme sports.

Currently a Graduate Student at Louisiana State university Health Sciences Center
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Lab member From June 2018 - May 2019

Undergraduate student:
Maria Shelley

I grew up in Northwest Indiana, specifically the town of Crown Point. All of my siblings have graduated from Purdue, and I’m hoping to follow suit! I completed two years of undergraduate studies here, and am currently about to begin my second year of a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. During my years at Purdue, I have had the opportunity to study abroad in Belize and attend a service trip in Honduras, as well as complete a service learning course in Drug Abuse and Addiction Education, which involved teaching sixth graders basic terminology about addiction. This experience sparked my interest in the pathophysiology of addiction, and I hope to expand on this knowledge while working in Dr. van Rijn’s lab. This will give me a wonderful opportunity to begin conducting research in such a pertinent field, and help me understand everything that goes into the drug discovery process, which is a valuable perspective to have in pharmacy.
 
Outside of the lab, I love to travel, relax with friends, and (most importantly) spoil my dog.
Lab member From Sep 2017 - May 2019

Undergraduate student:
Grace Mulia

I am a third-year student pursuing an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Purdue University. I was born and raised in Bali, Indonesia and came to the United States for the first time in 2013. I started out in Seattle to pursue an Associate’s degree in Biochemistry and in 2015 I transferred to Purdue to pursue my Bachelor’s degree. During my time at Purdue University, I had the opportunity to take part in a Global Internship Program in Seoul, South Korea. I became an intern at Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceuticals, one of the top pharmaceutical company in South Korea. This experience along with my experience as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant in an introductory Biology lab course at Purdue developed my interest towards the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in research & development. I always had a huge interest in having hands-on experience in a research laboratory and to apply the knowledge I have outside of a classroom setting. I am excited to be a part of Dr. van Rijn’s lab and expand my knowledge further in neuropharmacology and building my skills as a researcher.

​Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching movies/TV shows, listening to music and drawing. I also like to explore new cafes to try out their coffee/tea!
Currently enrolled in the PULSe graduate program at Purdue University
Lab member From Jan 2017 - May 2019

Lab Technician:
Arbaaz A Mukadam

I’m a third-year student inclined towards acquiring a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences from Purdue University. I’m an international student brought up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates although I was originally born in Mumbai, India. Research fascinates me as it gives me the opportunity to brainstorm, innovate and come up with new ideas - which contribute to a larger cause that could potentially benefit thousands if not millions of people in the future. I am particularly interested in studying the brain which is why I am excited to work in the van Rijn lab due to the compelling research topics in the field of neuropharmacology. The topic that grabbed my attention was understanding how tolerance and dependence on opioids can form by understanding the pharmacology of the delta-opioid receptor. This appeals to me personally as I have seen my fair share of abuse and addiction by people close to me and would like to do what I can to help such people in similar circumstances.
 
Outside of the lab, I like to relax with friends and occasionally play some video games. I also like to listen to music a lot which is why I’ve been teaching myself how to play the guitar and drums.
Currently enrolled as a graduate student in the Department of Pyschological Sciences at Purdue University
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Lab member From Sep 2015 - May 2019

Undergraduate student:
Kendall Mores

I am from Hebron, IN a very small town in the northwest corner of the state. Currently, I am a third-year student pursuing an undergraduate degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Purdue University, with the hope of subsequently attaining a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree. Throughout my years at Purdue, I have had the privilege of becoming a Lab Teaching Assistant for the Organic Chemistry I & II courses offered through the School of Pharmacy’s Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Department. I hope that by working in Dr. van Rijn’s lab, I can greatly expand on this limited knowledge that I have gained during my time as a Lab Teaching Assistant.  As a student who has always been interested in neuropharmacology and disease pathology, I was extremely excited upon reading the areas of specialization and the current topics of research in Dr. van Rijn’s lab. I look forward to not only learning, but also being able to conduct hands on research in this remarkably interesting field!
 
Outside of lab, I love to read, attend concerts, hammock, spend time with my dogs, and camp.
Lab member From Jan 2014 - May 2018

Graduate scientist:
Meridith Robins

I obtained my undergraduate degree in A.C.S. Chemistry with a Biochemistry focus from Purdue University in 2013.  During my undergraduate studies, I worked in the labs of Phillip Low of Purdue University, Connie Weaver of Purdue University, and Kate O’Conner-Giles of the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  While in the Low lab, I studied the use of Tc99m-Etarfolatide (EC20) as a diagnostic imaging agent for various diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, and hypertension.  This experience led to my interest in treatment and causation of various disease states. 

Outside of lab, I like to attend concerts and music festivals, find new creative outlets, and stay active by running and spending time outdoors.
Currently employed as Postdoctoral Scientist in the laboratory of Dr. Ryabinin at Oregon Health and Sciences University.
Lab member From Jan 2014 - Mar 2018

Graduate student:
Doungkamol Alongkronrusmee

I obtained my bachelor degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 2010. During my undergraduate studies, I did internship as a medical representative at Novartis, Thailand, as well as as a drug store or hospital pharmacist in various places. My undergraduate research was involved in Ganaxolone, a new antiepileptic drug. Later on, I came to the US to pursue my master degree in Pharmacology at Rush University, Chicago, IL. I worked in the group of Dr. Animesh Barua with a research thesis entitled "GRP78 in association with VEGFR-2 detects early stage ovarian cancer." Moreover, I had worked on a Parkinson's disease (PD) project in order to find a progressive mouse model of PD by an application of MPTP and lipopolysaccharide. The research was performed by Dr. Paul M. Carvey and Dr. Bill Hendey's labs. Since then, the beauty of science has brought me to a current point of PhD study in Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, IN :)

Outside the lab, I like to travel, watch movies and TV series, and play ukulele, guitar, and drum. In the near future, I plan to join a photo club and yoga class!

Nook received job offers to postdoc at UCLA and Siriraj Hospital, for a position as medical science liason at Sanofi and as medical affairs manager at Abbott.and chose to work as a non-clinical project manager at Siam Bioscience in Bangkok.
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Lab member From Sep 2016 - Dec 2017

Undergraduate student:
Jiwon Ellen Ha

I am a first-year student in the Doctor of Pharmacy program in Purdue and spent my last two years studying pre-pharmacy in Purdue. I am originally from South Korea, but my second home is West Lafayette. My strong interest in pharmacy has called me back to pursuing a Pharm. D. in Purdue with the hopes of becoming a pharmacist, specializing in the psychiatric field. I’ve worked as an undergraduate intern at Pohong University of Science and Technology, studying the therapeutic effects of mussel adhesive proteins in the biomedical field. However, my main interests currently are in the area of various neurological disease states and the pharmacological aspects of it. Recently, I also became interested in exploring the field of pharmaceutical industry with the focus in drug development and discovery for neurological diseases. I hope that by working in the lab of Dr. van Rijn I can expand my knowledge on neuropharmacology and build a strong background in research in this field.
 
Outside of lab, I like to read inspiring novels, explore new cafés, and spend time with my friends. I am also a tea person, so I love to taste and collect different tea products.
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Lab member From September 2013-September 2016

Lab Manager:
Terrance Chiang

I obtained my undergraduate degree in Molecular and cell biology from University of California, Berkeley with an emphasis on Immunology. I have worked at several places including Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center in the lab of Robert Messing working with Wenhai Chou on murine ischemia model. I have also worked at UCSF Parnassus, the Gladstone Institutes, and Impax Laboratories.

Outside the lab, I like to sample foods and recipes and learn new languages. My other hobbies include mystery novels, playing flute, music, watching movies and tv shows, video games, exercising, and learning. Currently I am fascinated by tea infused cuisine, growing some potted plants, and R&B/soul/hip-hop/house/jazz music.
Currently employed as research assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University
Lab member From May 2016-August 2016

Postdoc:
Jennifer Berry PhD

Dr. Jennifer Berry is a postdoctoral Scientist. She has extensive experience in animal models of drug addiction, particularly nicotine. In the Van Rijn lab she is running behavioral experiments investigating the role of beta-arrestin in alcohol related behavior. 
Currently employed as assistant professor at Butler University
Lab member in July 2016

Visiting Scientist:
Lily Zeng MD

Dr. Lily Zeng is a third year Internal Medicine resident at Vanderbilt University. Before and during medical training at the University of California San Francisco, Lily performed research on alcoholism and chronic pain. As an internist she encounters many patients whom have become dependent on opioid painkillers. She is visiting the Van Rijn lab to obtain a better appreciation of the current pre-clinical models of chronic pain and insight into the latest research on opioid use disorders and development of novel analgesic drugs to treat pain.
Lab member from May 2016 - July 2016

Visiting pharmacy student:
Eric Eisenmann

I am a sixth year PharmD student at Ohio Northern University (ONU) to graduate May 2017. The unique 0-6 program structure allowed me to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2015. As an undergraduate research assistant at ONU, I worked in a neuroscience research laboratory primarily utilizing a rodent model of PTSD. We studied the effect that the estrous cycle or different diets could have on this model. Furthermore, we examined the effect of this model on ethanol drinking behavior and sensitivity to nicotine. Most interestingly, we collaborated with the pharmacy department to examine the effect stress had on sensitivity to myocardial ischemic injury. Dr. van Rijn’s work studying ethanol drinking nicely complements my undergraduate work. After graduation, I intend to pursue a PhD in Pharmacology. Thus, the experience provided by Dr. van Rijn’s lab – specifically, working with in vitro samples – is invaluable to my future career.

Outside of the lab, I currently work as a pharmacy intern at Walmart. I enjoy staying active, playing guitar and listening to music. A Cleveland native, I enjoy following the Cavaliers and attending Indians or Browns games when I get the chance.
Lab member from July 2014 - May 2016

Undergraduate student:
Shiqi tang

I am pursuing my undergraduate in Pharmaceutical Science and Statistics at Purdue since 2012. I went to Chengdu No.7 middle school back to China from 2009. I worked in a physiology lab of Dr. Nancy Pelaez to research quercetin effect on pig pulmonary arteries in 2013. We tested the stretch of vascular muscle under different situations and predict further mechanism of quercetin on hypertension. After that I wanted to learn more about molecular and microbiology and gain more experience in a  variety of pharmaceutics related techniques. I am also volunteering at Indiana veteran’s home and IU Arnett hospital to get more exposed to clinical pharmacy. I hope that with a stronger research background I can run clinical trials in the future.  

Outside the lab, I like reading manga and comics, playing video games, and doing some photographing.

Currently a graduate student at Purdue University
Lab member from September 2015 - February 2016

Visiting scientist:
Ricardo Marquez-Gomez

​Hi! I am from Chihuahua, Mexico but currently living in Mexico City. I obtained my B.Sc. in Bacteriologist and Parasitologist Chemist, a career focused in clinical things but I decided to do neuroscience instead. It is more intriguing and challenging. During my B.Sc. thesis I worked with organic chemistry, trying to synthesize a drug called benzofuran-XH14, which basically is in some Chinese plant roots and helps with heart diseases, and in sequence analysis of some grass water-resistant genes. In 2011 I joined Dr. Jose Antonio Arias Montano lab at Cinvestav Mexico and I continued there for my Ph.D. Currently I am searching for a potential protein-protein interaction between adenosine A2A and histamine H3 receptors in the rats striatum and in order to do that I came to the Van Rijn lab for a short visit. I am also interested in computational chemistry, I haven’t done a lot of work in that area but I am looking forward to change that.
In my free time I enjoy walking, meeting new people and new places. I love traveling and being surrounded by nature. I love listen to music (I like Radiohead but I listen to most of types of music) a good cup of coffee and play the guitar. I enjoy reading as well. 

Currently a Newton International Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford
Lab member from June 2015 - December 2015

Undergraduate student:
Katherine Simons

​I’m originally from Denver, Colorado and travelled to Purdue to study engineering. I am currently a senior in Purdue’s Biological Engineering and Pharmaceutical Sciences dual degree program and will graduate in May of 2016.  I’ve worked in community pharmacy research with Dr. Margie Snyder and in the lab of Dr. Chiwook Park. I look forward to pursuing a career in pharmaceutical industry after graduation with a focus in drug development and discovery. With an extensive research background I hope that I will be able to develop safe, affordable, and effective medications for a wide array of diseases and illnesses in the future.

Outside of the lab, I am an admissions ambassador on Purdue’s campus and I enjoy meeting with potential students and their families.  At home I like to cook and try new foods and recipes. I also enjoy traveling, spending time with my friends and family, and reading.    
Lab member from January 2015 - December 2015

Undergraduate student:
Jiehee Suh

I am currently a 1st year student of Purdue’s Pre-pharmacy Program (2014-2016). Originally from the Bay Area, California, I flew my way through to the Midwest to eventually pursue my Pharm. D. at Purdue. Knowing the negative consequences any type of addiction can wreak on a family, I want to focus my pharmaceutical studies on a career in Industrial Pharmacy, which heavily relies on drug discovery.  For these general reasons, I want to get a head-start experience as an undergraduate and intend to work with NIDA’s Summer Internship Program, either assessing opioid overdoses or researching effects of exposure to nicotine vapor on the vulnerability to nicotine dependence. I, too, hope that with a stronger research background, I am able to develop safe and efficient medications to treat a variety of illnesses.

Outside of lab, I like to volunteer at animal shelters, spend a day at an aquarium, hike, or meet up with friends for the usual Starbucks date. My other hobbies include playing the flute and piano and being creative with stationery.
Lab member from October 2013 - July 2014

Postdoctoral Researcher
Kamonchanok Sansuk, PhD

I obtained my undergraduate degree from Leiden University (the Netherlands) with a Master project entitled "Method development for Vitamin K determination in Nicotiana Tabacum". Later on, I worked at Kalmar University (Sweden) in the field of "Plant metabolic engineering", where I obtained molecular biology and biochemistry skills. Afterwards, I moved back to the Netherlands and started my PhD degree in Molecular Pharmacology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and graduated with a PhD thesis entitled "Molecular Pharmacology of Histamine H1 Receptor". My research involved in structural studies of Histamine H1 Receptor using various protein biochemistry and biophysical techniques (e.g. Mass Spectrometry and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). The second half of my research is involved in the study of GPCR activation using site-directed and random mutagenesis. I love to travel by nature, so after obtaining my PhD title, I decided to travel and do postdoctoral projects in various countries (such as Novartis-Switzerland, Utrecht University-the Netherlands, NTU-Singapore) to get both research and life experiences. My research interests is involved in structural studies of GPCRs, GPCRs signaling and membrane protein biochemistry.

Outside the lab, I am a certified Bikram Yoga teacher since 2012 and have been traveled and teach yoga in various countries such as Thailand (Bangkok and Phuket), the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Nijmegen), Germany (Frankfurt and Stuttgart), Italy (Bologna) and the UK (Liverpool).

The Lab-lab:
Mango
Mango the lazy, gentle laboratory labrador. Did someone say nap time. Rest in peace: ​11/27/2010 - 4/20/2019. ​​