Former lab members of the Van Rijn lab
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!
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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. 
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).